Gateway to the Rockies
by NCChris
Summary: Peter has just been surviving for the last two years. Will moving to Denver to live with Jasper and the rest of the crew help him to move on? Will he meet someone that will pull him back from the edge? AH, non-canon.
1. Change of Scenery

**DISCLAIMER: Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight and all its characters. This is just my take on a possible alternative…**

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Change of Scenery

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Peter was sitting at the kitchen table. He couldn't stand the thought of sleeping on that damn lumpy sofa again. Of course, he could man up and sleep in the bedroom, but the nightmares wouldn't be worth it. He hadn't slept in the bedroom for almost two years. The sofa wasn't comfortable, but at least he didn't wake up sobbing her name, covered in icy sweat.

He hoped he had made the right decision. He just couldn't stay here anymore. It was slowly killing him to live here with the ghost of Charlotte. He saw her everywhere here. She was in the sunny yellow paint on the kitchen walls; the cozy wedding ring quilt on their king sized bed; even the yard reminded him of her. She had loved to coax beauty from the desert landscape outside their door.

Silently, he hit the speed dial and prayed that he would be able to get through this conversation. He was calling the only person that understood his pain. His cousin, brother really, had loved Charlotte, too. This was Peter's last chance to live again. He knew Charlotte would want him to live and be happy again.

* * *

Jasper was trying to ignore the irritating ringing that was pulling him from sleep and his cocoon of blankets and Alice. He rolled over to snuggle deeper against her warm back, wrapping his arms around her tiny waist and tucking his head in the crook of her shoulder.

Another irritating ring and Alice mumbled sleepily,

"Jaz, baby, it's your phone."

Huffing in irritation, he pulled himself from the bed and grabbed the offending item from the nightstand.

"This had better be a fuckin' emergency," he growled to whoever was unlucky enough to have called, as he pulled on his sweatpants and padded out to the hallway, shutting the door softly behind him, so Alice could sleep.

"Sorry, Jasper. Were you asleep?" the caller asked with a chuckle.

"Peter? It's fuckin' 3am, man! Is momma OK?" Jasper replied, shaking the sleepy fog away.

"Aunt Carrie's fine, man. Where the hell are you that it's 3am?" Peter replied.

"Me & Ali are in South Carolina visiting her family. The engagement party was last night. What's up, Peter?" Jasper asked, still not sure why his cousin, really his brother, had called so late.

"Listen, man, I am sorry I bothered you. It's not as late here in Santa Fe, you know. I need a big favor, Jaz. I sold the house…just couldn't do it here anymore, man. I have to get out of Santa Fe. I quit my job and I was hoping that invitation to hold down your couch in Denver was still open. I need to start fresh somewhere, man." Peter said, rushing to get out his explanation as if to fend off unwanted questions.

"Sure, man, you know that, anything you need. When are you flying in?" Jasper replied, glad Peter was calling for that reason.

"I'll be in Denver tomorrow. Give me your address, though, and I can just take a cab there since you're out of town." Peter said, not wanting to cause Jasper any problems but unable to delay his trip and stay in Santa Fe for even one more day.

"No way, Peter. Besides, you can't get in the house. We had to change the locks…long story. Listen, give me your flight info and I'll get a friend of ours to pick you up." Jasper explained, grabbing a pen and notepad from the drawer in the darkened kitchen.

He jotted down the info quickly in his sprawling masculine script. He hoped Bella would be home tomorrow. It was Sunday, so she wouldn't be in the studio. He'd call her in a few minutes. She wouldn't be asleep…she was never asleep.

"Alright, Peter. I got the info. Ali and I will be home on Wednesday. Just make yourself at home until then in the guest room, OK?" Jasper asked, confirming the details with his cousin quickly.

"Yeah, man. Thanks, Jasper." Peter replied softly.

"Anytime, Peter. I love you, man." Jasper drawled in response.

"Love you, too, Jaz." Peter said, hanging up.

Jasper checked the time, only 3:45am now. It would be 1:45am at home. Bella would still be up. She had trouble sleeping, so she never got to sleep before 3 or 4am. He quickly hit speed dial and waited for her to answer.

"Jaz?" she asked with concern in her voice due to the late hour.

"Hey, sugar. Sorry to call so late, but something's come up and I need a favor tomorrow," he answered.

"Of course, Jasper. Is everything OK?" she answered immediately; there was nothing he could ask that she wouldn't help with.

"Yeah, Bella, nothing to worry about. Do you remember my cousin, Peter? Well, he's finally had enough and he sold the house in Santa Fe and quit his job. I've been begging him for months to do that and come to Denver. Anyway, seems like he came to the same decision and he's flying into Denver tomorrow. Do you think you could pick him up from the airport?" Jasper replied, knowing she wouldn't mind.

"Sure, Jasper. Give me the info…I had planned on going to the studio later, but I can just do what I needed to do at the home studio instead. It's just some darkroom work." She replied immediately, already rearranging her schedule; after all, Jasper was de facto family, and family always came first for Bella.

She jotted down the flight information quickly in her messy handwriting and hoped she'd be able to read it in the morning. She remembered Peter's story. It was a sad one and she couldn't help but hope that the move to Denver would help him start fresh. She had lived through her fair share of tragedy in her life, but to lose someone the way he had; well, she just didn't know if she could have come through that.

"OK, Jasper, I've got the info and I'll take good care of him for you. Are you and Alice still coming home Wednesday?" she asked.

"Yeah, Bells. We'll be home late Wednesday night. Thanks, Bella, for doing this for me. I was scared that if he had to delay, he wouldn't come at all. He really needs this." Jasper whispered, emotion making his voice husky.

"Oh, Jaz! He's your family and that makes him my family, too. I'll take good care of him. Now, give Ali a kiss for me and enjoy the rest of your time there!" Bella replied, thinking about how good a man Jasper was; she was lucky to have him as a friend, more like a brother really, and Alice couldn't have picked a better lover.

"Love you, Bells," he said, smiling slightly; Bella had been through so much in her life, he was lucky to have her in his life.

"You, too, Jasper." she replied, ending the call.

Jasper closed the phone and made his way back to the bedroom. Alice was curled up on her side, beautiful in the moonlight sneaking past the curtains. He crawled back in the bed, pulling her tight against him. He loved her so much; he couldn't imagine losing her and knew he wouldn't survive if something happened to her.

His thoughts drifted to his late cousin-in-law, Charlotte. She had been so good for Peter. They were like a fairy tale of happily ever after, but their ever after had ended much too soon. Peter had been an empty shell, lost in the world that she no longer existed in. Jasper shuddered as he curled around Alice's sleeping body, kissing her bare shoulder gently.

Maybe a change of scenery and some time with friends and family is what Peter would need to rejoin the world…

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**AN: This is a bit of a departure from my usual writing, but I had an incredibly vivid dream about this and it wouldn't leave me alone. I'm not quite sure where it's going to lead, but if you like it, let me know.**


	2. New Home, New Friends

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DISCLAIMER: Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight and all its characters. This is just my take on a possible alternative…

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New Home, New Friends

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Bella finally managed to settle down enough to sleep about an hour after she talked to Jasper. She hadn't slept well in years, so insomnia was nothing new for her. If she could get a solid 4 hours of sleep, she was OK. She drifted off to a fitful slumber wondering what to expect from Peter. Would he feel a part of their close knit group? She hoped he would. It sounded like he really needed some friends.

* * *

Peter woke early the next morning. He had some errands to run before closing the Santa Fe chapter of his life. He finished closing up the last box of personal items. He had sold the home furnished and was only taking those items that held personal worth and his clothing. He had packed 10 large boxes and intended to ship them to Denver this morning from the UPS Store down the street. He had packed the photo albums, his books, all but two weeks worth of clothing, and a few odds and ends.

His flight was scheduled to leave at 10am, so he had a couple hours before he had to be at the airport. It should be just enough time to ship his boxes and deliver the truck to Danny, his coworker. Danny had bought the truck from him and agreed to drop him off at the airport. Danny was one of the few friends that understood why Peter had to do this. Danny had been there many nights in the early days after Charlotte died. Danny knew about the nightmares and the years of barely surviving.

Peter paused in the doorway, taking a last look at the building that had once been the hub of his dreams. He was revisited by the ghost of love lost as he thought about how many times he had stood in that very doorway and watched Charlotte cook. His gaze drifted to the bedroom door. Tears welled up in his eyes before he scrubbed them away in irritation. He could still almost feel her body, warm and soft, in his arms after making love. With a sigh, he turned and stepped away. Locking the door and placing the key in the lockbox hanging from the knob, he walked to his truck, now Danny's truck, and drove away.

He did not look back.

* * *

Bella was shifting from foot to foot. Peter's flight was due any moment and she was suddenly shy about meeting him. She had met him briefly at Charlotte's funeral, but he had very obviously been out of his mind with grief. She doubted he remembered her, though she remembered him. He looked very much like Jasper. They had the same honey blond hair and brilliant blue eyes. Peter was about 6'1" to Jasper's 6'3" and a bit more muscular. Where Jasper was tall, long, and lean like a runner, Peter was broad through his shoulders and had the musculature of a serious swimmer.

As she was running this information through her head, she heard the announcement that his flight had arrived over the loud speakers. She made her way towards the announced gate and began to scan the passengers as they exited from the plane.

The gate was mostly empty and the final passengers were making their way down the tunnel, when she saw him. She held in the gasp of surprise as she took in his appearance. He was a shadow of his former self. His honey blond hair was dull and in need of a trim, he had dark circles under his eyes that told of too many sleepless nights, and finally, he had lost about 20 pounds from his already trim frame. This was a man on the edge of a breakdown. Bella's heart broke as she met his eyes and saw the pain and despair displayed in their cerulean depths. She knew that Jasper and his mother, Ms. Carrie, had been terribly worried about Peter since Charlotte's death, but now she could see for herself why. She found herself drawn inexplicably to comfort the shell of a man in front of her.

He was scanning the crowd around the gate. Obviously, Jasper had not told him who would be there to meet him. Bella strode forward quickly and extended her hand.

"Peter? Jasper asked me to meet you here this morning. I'm Bella Swan, Jasper and Alice's housemate and best friend," she said, offering him a friendly smile.

Peter returned her smile with the ghost of his own and grasped her offered hand after running his fingers through his disheveled waves. He wondered briefly why he hadn't bothered to get it trimmed before he came. The young woman was very pretty in a girl next door kind of way. She had a warm open smile and a familiar manner that he found appealing.

"It's nice to meet you, Bella. I'm Peter Whitlock. Thanks for picking me up. I hope it hasn't inconvenienced you too much," he replied in his deep baritone drawl; he might have been coming from Santa Fe, but he was Texas born and raised.

"Of course not, Peter. Jasper is like family, and by extension, so are you! I was glad to do it. Do you have any more luggage?" she asked, still offering a gentle smile.

They fell in step together and soon had retrieved the rest of his luggage. He had passed his laptop bag and a small backpack to Bella, so that he could manhandle the larger pieces as they made their way to the parking deck.

Bella came to a stop in front of a four-wheel drive, midnight blue Ford F-150 pickup. Peter whistled appreciatively. Bella turned and grinned at him.

"Surprised? Most people don't see me as a truck driving woman," she said, hands propped on her hips.

"Well, Miss Bella, I don't really know you well enough to be surprised, yet, but I do think that is one very nice truck." Peter replied with a cheeky grin, the first he'd had occasion to display in quite awhile.

He grabbed his luggage and started to load it into the bed of the truck while Bella set his laptop case and backpack in the backseat of the crew cab.

* * *

Peter and Bella sat in comfortable silence as they pulled away from the airport parking deck. After a few minutes of silence, while Bella navigated the thick airport traffic, Peter decided to learn a little bit more about his new housemate.

"So, Bella, what kind of work do you do?" Peter asked, shifting slightly in his seat to look at her.

"I'm a photographer. I mostly do family photography out of my studio downtown, but I also do occasional freelance work for National Geographic. I'll be shooting Jasper and Alice's wedding and I shot the wedding pictures for our friends, Edward and Heidi last month," she replied enthusiastically.

Peter smiled; it was nice to hear about someone who obviously enjoyed their work. It had been a long time since he had really cared much about his own.

"What kind of mediums do you use? All digital or…" Peter allowed the question to trail off. He knew just enough about photography to be dangerous in a conversation.

"Well, everything is digital in the freelance world, so I suffer through that with National Geographic. I shoot a mix of digital and film for my weddings. I love film because I'm old-fashioned. I still like to get elbow deep in developer in my dark room. There's nothing like it! I do some hobby work, too, and for that nothing but film will do. Don't get me wrong, digital can be creative, too, but again, part of what I like about photography is that moment of awe when the chemicals draw that image out," she smiled at him, the love of her work and hobby evident in her sparkling eyes.

Peter felt an unexpected connection to this woman already and was surprised to say the least. He'd not noticed another living soul in over 2 years, but he found himself captivated by Bella Swan.

"What about you, Peter? What do you do?" she asked.

"Well, I had been working as an architect in Santa Fe, but I'm not sure what I want to do right now. I think I might want a change, but I'm not sure yet. I'm lucky that I can wait awhile before I have to decide. I was an electrician by trade before I finished school, so I might fall back on that for awhile. Mostly, I'm just going to take some time and get my head on straight," Peter responded, hating the pain that was evident in his response.

Bella reached across the armrest and gave his hand a gentle squeeze.

"Peter, if there's anything I can do or help you with, just ask. I won't pry, but I'm here if you need a sympathetic ear," she said softly, before releasing his hand again.

They drove in silence again, each lost in their own thoughts, until they turned into a neighborhood of craftsman-style homes. Bella turned onto a side street and clicked the garage remote clipped to her visor. The garage door on a large home began to rise and she pulled into the 2-car garage it revealed.

"Well, here we are. Home sweet home," Bella said brightly.

They lugged his bags into the house and down a stairway to the finished basement. Bella led him over to the second doorway along the wall and opened the door.

"Peter, here's your room. There's a bathroom across the hall and my home studio is next door. Do you need anything? Alice's car has GPS and her keys are on the hook in the garage. I know she wouldn't mind if you use it, or let me know and I can go with you," Bella said, gesturing to both the bathroom and studio entrances.

"Bella, thank you so much. I think right now I'm going to unpack a little bit and I might head to the store for some odds and ends. I have some boxes that should arrive day after tomorrow that I shipped this morning. I don't want to keep you from anything you need to do…" Peter replied, suddenly sorry not to have an excuse to continue their conversation.

"You won't be. I'm just puttering around in my studio today, so I'm available if you want some company," she replied with a wink, as she stepped out of his room.

He heard her go into the studio and close the door softly. He immediately decided that he definitely did want this intriguing woman to go with him, but wondered briefly if that was a good idea.

As he was opening his first suitcase, his cell phone began to chirp and vibrate in his pocket. Checking the caller ID, he saw Jasper's name.

"Hi, Jaz," he said, flipping the phone open.

"Peter, did you get in, OK? Bella found you?" Jasper asked on the other end.

"Yeah. We just got back to the house. She's a really nice girl. I think she's going to go with me to run some errands later." Peter replied.

"Yep, Bella's one in a million. I won't keep you; I just wanted to make sure everything was cool. I'll see you Wednesday night, Peter," Jasper said before ending the call.

* * *

Two hours later, Peter had finished arranging his room. His clothing was folded neatly and stowed in the large oak dresser and his few personal items had been stowed in the closet. He really didn't want to look at the albums, but knew that someday he would want them.

Finished for the moment with unpacking until the other boxes arrived, he crossed the hallway to the bathroom. He gazed at his reflection in the mirror and groaned softly. He looked like something the cat dragged in, as his Aunt Carrie would say. His hair was too long and it had been about 3 days since he'd shaved last. Making a decision, he crossed back over to his room and grabbed clean clothes and his shaving kit. It was time to start living again. He really wasn't sure how to go about it, but a shower, shave, and haircut couldn't hurt.

He ran some hot water in the sink and made quick work of the stubble lining his cheeks and jaw. His eyes still looked haunted and his face gaunt, but at least he didn't look scruffy anymore.

He stood in the shower, letting the hot water wash away the airplane grime. Feeling refreshed, he stepped back out and dried off before wrapping the towel loosely around his hips. He slapped on some aftershave and brushed his teeth before tugging on a faded pair of Wranglers and an old Corona t-shirt.

He opened the bathroom door, rubbing the water from his hair with the towel, and collided with Bella who was just coming out of the studio. He quickly grabbed her waist to keep her from falling, instinctively pulling her tight against him.

"Sorry, Bella, I didn't see you there," he muttered, flustered at how good she felt pressed against him.

He hastily set her back on her feet, chastising himself for his out of control hormones.

"No problem, Peter. Thanks for not letting me dent the floor with my ass," she replied with a giggle.

Bella's giggle was designed to cover the instant response of her body to being pulled against this sweet smelling man. She chastised herself for letting her damn hormones get loose, but recovered as best she could once he let her back down.

They stood for an awkward moment, just looking into each other's eyes, when Peter finally broke the contact by bringing the towel back up to his hair and rubbing vigorously.

"So, Bella, can I intrude on your time again? I really need a haircut and a few odds and ends from the store. Do you know anyplace nearby where I could get both done?" he asked, hoping like hell she would offer to go with him.

"Well, Peter, it depends on what you need to get, but there is a Super Target nearby that sells just about anything and they have a hair salon, so I imagine you could get everything done there. A few friends are coming over for dinner and movie night tonight, so I actually was headed there myself. Want to just ride with me?" she replied.

"Sure, sounds good, Miss Bella. Just give me a minute to get my wallet and hang this towel." Peter replied, feeling warm inside at the thought of spending some more time with Bella.

Bella stood in his doorway while he grabbed his wallet and slipped on a pair of converse. They headed upstairs and hopped into Bella's truck again.

"Will you join us for dinner and movie night tonight? It'll just be the gang coming over, so you may as well meet them. They're a crazy bunch, but good people every one!" Bella asked with a smile.

"I don't want to intrude…it sounds like a tradition for you guys…"Peter trailed off, unsure of if he would be welcomed by his cousins close knit family of friends.

"Peter, you're part of the gang now, whether you like it or not. We'd love to have you come. Besides, we just order a bunch of pizza, watch cheesy horror flicks, and drink too much beer anyway. It's very low pressure. Really, we all just like to cut loose one last time before Monday morning!" Bella said with a wicked grin.

"How can I resist that grin, Miss Bella? Now fill me in on the miscreants I'm partying with tonight." Peter replied with a wink.

"Well, I'm the only single one now and you already know me, so why don't I tell you by couple?" Bella began, "There are two couples besides Jasper and Alice; Edward and Heidi & Emmett and Rosalie. Did Jasper ever tell you how we all met?" she asked, glancing at Peter for his response.

Peter shook his head lightly and settled back in his seat, content to listen to her talk about her friends.

"Well, Edward and I started dating in high school in Forks, WA. We dated on and off until our senior year. Alice is Edward's sister and one of my closest friends. Edward and I finally decided we worked much better as friends, so we entered our senior year single. We finished out our senior year in Forks and all attended UW together in the fall.

"I met Jasper in my American History class the first day of classes and we hit it off. After a couple weeks, I introduced him to Alice. They've been together ever since. Jasper's roommate was Emmett. Emmett was a complete tease. We dated casually a few times, but he was too much like a big brother to me, so we called it quits. He never left, though, so we now had a group of five.

"We did everything with each other. I mean, I dated, Edward dated, and Emmett dated, but nothing ever came of our relationships with outside partners. We were each other's support system through some pretty bad times," she paused there and Peter saw pain flash in her chocolate brown eyes, before she continued,

"When graduation rolled around, Edward got accepted to medical school here at the University of Colorado. We didn't want to go our separate ways, so we came, too. Edward met Heidi about six months into med school. She worked at the Starbucks near his apartment. It took him six more months to get up the nerve to ask her out and they got married about a month ago. Edward is working on his residency now. Heidi's a kindergarten teacher and she's perfect for Edward.

"Emmett finished his physical therapy Master's at the same hospital as Edward and he's practicing there now. He's also one of the athletic trainers for the Broncos. He met Rosalie about 2 years ago. She was in a car accident and damaged some vertebrae in her back. Emmett worked with her every day for a year. She's doing better now, but still uses a cane. They started dating about 3 months after her therapy ended. She's the manager of a local art gallery downtown.

"Of course, you know about Jasper and Alice. He's such a great teacher! He actually makes his kids enjoy history. The band is going strong, too. They have a standing gig on Thursdays at one of the bars downtown. We'll go when he gets back. Alice is a very talented interior designer and just landed a contract with one of the big ski resorts here. So, there you have it; the gang in a nutshell. They're the best friends in the world and I love them all," she finished, sliding into a parking spot in front of Target.

"It sounds like you all have really been through a lot together." Peter replied as they strolled towards the door of the megastore.

"Yes, we have. They're not just my friends, they're my family." Bella replied, sadness again touching her beautiful brown eyes.

Peter wished, however irrationally, that he could relieve that pain for her; then scoffed at himself. He was more broken than any human on the planet. What the hell could he hope to do for her?

They decided to split up to do their shopping, but they exchanged cell numbers first, so they could meet up later. Peter headed to the hair salon and Bella strolled towards the garden center. Peter had the sneaking suspicion that she really didn't have anything pressing she needed to buy, but found that it didn't bother him at all. He was glad she wanted to hang out with him.

* * *

Bella was deep in thought as she strolled towards the garden center. She needed some fairylights to string across the back deck and was looking for a new metal container to use as a drink bucket. She really didn't need anything specific, but she would pick up some odds and ends. Mostly, she had just wanted to spend some more time with the sad, but terribly handsome, Peter.

She had been replaying the hallway incident in her head for a few minutes when she had an epiphany. She liked him and probably not just as a friend. That was a definite problem. He had been pinning away for his dead wife for two years and was bound to be on a major rebound. Her poor heart did not need that shit. She would keep it friendly; he was, after all, her best friend's de facto brother.

* * *

As the stylist began to rub shampoo through his wavy overgrown locks, Peter thought about the hallway situation. He realized with a start that he wanted to get to know Bella better and not just in a friendly way. This could be a problem. He was damaged goods and she obviously deserved better. He would have to just keep it friendly; she was, after all, Jasper's de facto sister.

20 minutes later, Peter was strolling out of the salon. He needed to get a docking system for his Ipod and a few books to read at night when he couldn't sleep. It couldn't hurt to grab a pair of sweats either. He wanted to run in the morning and hadn't realized it was so chilly in Denver.

When he rounded the corner headed to the book section, he saw Bella standing at the end of the aisle, a paperback in her hand. She was chewing on her bottom lip as she read the summary on the back cover. He was immediately struck with the urge to suck that lip into his own mouth and soothe the teeth marks away. He realized that he was an idiot if he thought he was going to be able to ignore the delectable Bella Swan for very long.

He decided to shoot her a text message.

_Is it a good book? It really looks lovely from here._

_-Peter_

He hoped he wouldn't freak her out, but he couldn't resist. He held his breath as she stuck her hand in her pocket, no doubt checking the message.

He was gratified when she let out a soft laugh and turned to look for him. When she saw him, her eyes lit up and she crooked her finger to motion him over. He strolled over to her and they spent the next few minutes looking through the paperbacks.

Books chosen, they headed to electronics and he took care of the docking system before grabbing a pair of gray sweats.

As they walked back to the front of the store to pay, Peter noticed that Bella had gotten a new pedometer. Motioning to it, he asked,

"Do you walk often, Bella?"

"I jog every morning around the park near the house. I break pedometers like they're made of glass, so it was time for a new one," she replied.

"Yeah, me too. I finally got tired of buying the damn things. Now I just run until I get tired. It equals out about the same, really." Peter commented.

"Great! Want to be my jogging buddy? Jasper goes with me some mornings, too, but I don't like to run as early as he has to, and it's probably not really very safe for me to run alone. I'm chronically clumsy," she replied brightly, obviously excited to have another runner in the house.

"That sounds nice, Bella. We seem to have a lot in common." Peter replied, excited at another opportunity to talk with her.

He fought the urge to clamp his hand over his mouth and beat his head against the moving register belt. Where the hell had his mental filter gone? She must think he was a wacko stalker now.

"Yes. It seems we do have a lot in common, Peter. It's nice."Bella replied softly.


	3. Party Party Party

**DISCLAIMER: Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight and all its characters. This is just my take on a possible alternative…**

**Also, I wanted to shoot a quick note of thanks out to my wonderful readers. I received confirmation that my story Anchorage is for Lovers has been nominated for The Indie Twific Awards. You guys are awesome! A little birdy told me that my story Worth the Pain has also been nominated, but I am waiting for the official confirmation on that. Don't forget to vote in the first round of voting. It begins July 8 to narrow the nomination list. See my profile for a link and check out some of the other great fics nominated (I like Be My Biggest Fan by CrashHale) or visit the site at: www(dot)theindietwificawards(dot)com.**

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Party, Party, Party

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Bella and Peter went their separate ways once they returned to the house. Bella had work to do in her studio and Peter intended to take a quick nap. It had been a long day and he'd not slept much the night before because of packing; combine that with an early morning and it was definitely time to let his body rest.

Sleep never came easy for Peter, so he grabbed one of his new books and his Ipod and stretched his long lean frame out on the bed in his new room. His last thought before his eyes slipped closed was to wonder if the nightmares would stay away in this new home.

Bella was elbow deep in developer and trying to stay focused. Her thoughts were still revolving around Peter. She usually held herself pretty aloof with men; other than Jasper, Edward, and Emmett, of course. With a history like hers, it was hard to trust new people easily.

She and Peter had already fallen into a friendly companionship, almost like she had always known him. It was at once both odd and exhilarating that this handsome and intriguing man was interested in spending time with her.

She was mostly thinking about the text message he had sent her in Target. It was light and flirty. She had laughed when she read it and hadn't missed his relived look when she had. It seemed that maybe he was testing the water, so to speak. Charlotte had been gone for a little over two years; it was obvious from his severance of all ties in Santa Fe that he was finally ready to rejoin the world. Therein lied the problem, though, Bella couldn't afford to be his rebound girl. She didn't want to be.

Shaking her head slightly, she pushed Peter from her mind and turned her attention back to the prints she was developing. She was working on some prints to show at Rosalie's gallery later in the month and was anxious to show some of the prints to her and Heidi tonight while the boys got to know Peter.

She set the finished up in the darkroom and glanced at her watch before leaving the room. Everyone would be here in a few hours. She shut the studio door and started down the hallway. She glanced at Peter's open doorway and smiled. He was sprawled out on the bed with his hands tucked behind his head, a new book open but forgotten on his chest, and his Ipod laying next to him. He was snoring very softly and looked very peaceful. She remembered the dark circles under his eyes and was glad he could get some rest. She tiptoed into his room, not wanting to wake him, and grabbed the throw from the back of the chair in the corner. She gently draped it over his sleeping form and fought the urge to brush his full lips with her own. She settled for brushing the hair out of his eyes and held her breath, hoping her rash gesture wouldn't wake him. That would be awkward to explain! It was definitely not going to be easy to ignore the pull she felt towards him.

Bella had just stepped out of the shower when her cell started buzzing on her dresser. She strode over to it and saw a text message from Edward. She opened the message and laughed softly. He was letting her know that he and Emmett were going to grill out tonight instead of their usual pizza. Bella quickly texted back that she'd planned on pizza and hadn't bought anything else, but if they'd get everything on the way over that was fine with her. She also filled him in on Peter's arrival. Satisfied that dinner was on track, she walked over to her dresser and slipped on her clothes.

Once she finished getting ready, she headed back downstairs to check on the prints she had made. They were almost finished drying, so she didn't disturb them. She left after a few moments of review and noticed that Peter had shifted on the bed and now huddled under the blanket she'd draped over him earlier. She was again struck with the urge to kiss him and shook it off. He obviously needed the sleep, so she'd leave him alone, besides she couldn't risk anything else with him, no matter how much she wanted to.

* * *

Peter woke slowly and stretched before taking in the darkness of the room. He'd slept longer than he'd expected and fingered the soft fleece blanket he was wrapped in. He hadn't fallen asleep with it on. A smile spread across his face as he remembered Bella brushing the hair from his eyes after draping the blanket over him. He'd kept his eyes closed and his breathing even to avoid startling her, but it was an interesting development. Maybe he wasn't the only one feeling the tug of attraction.

Feeling refreshed by the nap and the new feelings, he headed upstairs to see if Bella needed any help getting ready for movie night. She was standing at the kitchen counter making a salad when he saw her. He walked up and deftly snatched a cherry tomato from the bowl as she laughed and smacked his hand lightly.

"Stay out of the food, Peter," she growled, her grin softening the blow significantly.

"But, I'm starving, woman!" he replied, returning her grin.

"Well, here, go start the grill to keep your mind off it. Edward just called and said they were ten minutes away. They wanted to grill instead of order pizza, so get going." She ordered, still smiling, handing him a bag of charcoal, lighter fluid, and a lighter.

Peter headed out to the deck and the charcoal grill. He was glad they were grilling with charcoal; gas just couldn't cut it for a Texas boy. He set about the menial task and soon had the coals burning white hot. He was getting ready to go inside, when he felt a small warm hand on his shoulder. He turned and Bella was standing only inches behind him. He could feel her warmth radiating from her body as she held a beer in each hand. His eyes flicked to her lips and back up to her smoldering brown eyes. She didn't break his gaze. He shivered as the tip of her tongue darted out to moisten her lips. He was just leaning in when a booming voice called out,

"Bells? Bells, we're here!"

Bella shook off the stupor and pressed the bottle of beer into his hand, before calling in return,

"Hi, Emmett! We're out on the deck. Got the meat? The grill's ready."

She squeezed his arm before turning to head back into the house to see to supper. Peter huffed out the breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding and took a long swig from the bottle before heading inside after her.

He paused a moment as he entered the house to survey the group of people standing around the kitchen island. There was a gorgeous blond, who could only be Rosalie and a pretty woman with long legs and waist length mahogany hair stood next to her, Heidi he supposed. Their men were standing behind them, casually touching their women. Bella had described them well. Bella turned and saw him in the doorway.

"Peter, come on in and meet the gang," she called, holding her hand out to him.

He crossed over to her and took her outstretched hand. Introductions were made around and they soon settled into an easy banter as Bella got the steaks ready for the grill.

"OK, let's go get these on the grill. Heidi, want a beer? You haven't got anything yet and you look left out, girl." Bella said, eyeing her friend with curiosity.

Heidi broke into a massive grin and Edward shuffled his feet managing to look both sheepish and thrilled at the same time.

"Bella, I think I'll just get a bottle of water." She replied, grinning.

Bella and Rosalie exchanged a quick glance and both shrieked in unison.

"Oh. My. God. Congratulations!! Spill the details, Heidi." Rosalie shrieked, bouncing lightly in her excitement, bad back forgotten.

"Well, obviously we weren't exactly planning to start our family quite so soon, but we found out Friday. I'm due in late March." Heidi replied, easing into Edward's embrace as he circled her waist with his arms from behind, fitting his head into the crook of her neck.

Emmett clapped him on the back and leaned in to kiss Heidi's cheek. There were congratulations all around and we headed out to the deck to start grilling.

The grill had heated up nicely and the coals were smoldering gently as Bella threw on the steaks before closing the lid. Rosalie and Heidi were sitting at the picnic table in the yard, heads together obviously having a deep conversation. Edward and Emmett were tossing a Frisbee and generally showing off for their ladies and clowning around.

Bella sank down onto the porch swing and patted the spot next to her for Peter. He settled in next to her, throwing his arm lightly around her shoulders, as much due to his large frame dwarfing the swing as an excuse to be a little closer to her. They sat in silence for a few moments, just watching the antics.

"They're really in love, aren't they?" Peter asked, as Edward kissed Heidi softly, his fingers reaching down to brush her stomach reverently before loping back to Emmett, who had now pulled out a football.

Bella nodded in response and seemed about to say something else, when Emmett interrupted.

"Hey, Whitlock? You any good with a football?"

"I can hold my own, I reckon." Peter called back, some of his Texas drawl creeping into his reply.

"Well, come on then, you too, Bells. We're gonna play two on two touch," he boomed back.

Peter glanced at Bella and she nodded smiling before hopping up off the swing and grabbing his hand to haul him off, too.

"Edward, you're with Whitlock and I've got Bella." Emmett directed, falling into an obvious leadership role. Peter nodded to Edward as Bella crossed over to Emmett.

"Alright, Edward, what are his weaknesses?" Peter drawled, wanting to show off a little for Bella, even if it meant beating her in the game.

"He's slow, so the game is to distract him and let Bella get the ball. I can run laps around him and you get Bells," he replied with a crooked grin and a twinkle in his green eyes.

For the next 30 minutes, they did just that. Peter made sure to get Bella every time she had the ball. When he grabbed her around the waist to sling her down, he would twist his body so that he could take the brunt of the impact, a fact that was not lost on her. Bella wasn't even trying very hard to evade him. Secretly, she was relishing the feel of his strong arms wrapped around her when they would land in a tangle of limbs in the grass.

Eventually, Heidi called an end to the game by announcing that the steaks were ready. Peter jumped up from the ground and held his hand out to Bella and pulled her up. She stumbled and he caught her pulling her close instinctively. Startled, she clung to him as he whispered,

"I've got you, Bella."

Her eyes rolled back in her head slightly as his breath whispered over her ear. She couldn't decide whether to be relieved or pissed when he steadied her and released his hold. Peter's eyes were a little bit too wide and he took a shaky breath before nodding lightly and following Edward toward the house.

"What, my dear Bella, was that? I thought I might need to get the hose to put out that fire…" Rosalie said, teasing.

"That, my dear Rosie, was the power of Peter. I am in deep trouble…" Bella replied with a sigh and a satisfied smirk.

"But what a pleasant problem…"Rosalie mused in response, glancing at Peter's retreating figure.

* * *

Soon enough, everyone had eaten their fill and the dishes had been loaded into the dishwasher. Peter had been watching Bella all evening. He never seemed to get tired of watching her do even the smallest things. He tried to be stealthy in his watching, but every time she caught him, she'd blush and glance away. Peter was hoping that meant she was watching him, too.

As the group moved to the den to watch movies, the two couples paired off and quickly settled themselves onto the two loveseats, leaving only the recliner open. Peter's Aunt Carrie would have been ashamed if he took a seat from a lady, so he gestured Bella towards it and prepared to sit down on the floor beside it. She shook her head slightly and pulled him down to lean against the front of the chair. She was sitting with her legs tucked underneath her. She rested her hands lightly on Peter's shoulders and rubbed the muscles there. He wanted to purr it felt so nice, but he settled for slouching down against the chair a bit more and leaning back into her slightly.

Emmett and Rosalie picked the first movie. They were both action/adventure fans, so they popped The Dark Knight into the DVD player. Peter hadn't seen it yet, but had heard it was very good. He shifted slightly so he could lay his head against the front of the chair and see the TV better, sighing in contentment when Bella began to run her fingers lightly through his hair. With a start, he realized that he was happy here with this group of people, and especially with this flirtation with Bella. They had pulled him right into the group and it was nice to feel a part of something again.

He noticed as the movie ended that Heidi was yawning and Edward had pulled her down to rest in his lap. Edward looked at Heidi like she hung the moon. It was a beautiful thing to watch them together. They were so obviously in love. He was stroking her cheek with one hand and the other arm was wrapped loosely around her waist, his fingers splayed protectively over her lower belly. They looked so comfortable that Peter didn't want to disturb them. When Edward shifted slightly, Peter caught his eye and shook his head. Edward and Heidi had picked the next movie and it was lying on the coffee table. They had picked a romantic comedy, Fool's Gold, so Peter got up and put it in the player for them, winking at Edward as he did, before coming back over to his spot on the floor in front of Bella.

By the time Fool's Gold ended, Heidi was asleep in Edward's lap. Edward scooped her up in his arms bridal style and said their goodbyes quietly. Emmett and Rosalie took that as their cue to head home, too, and soon Peter and Bella were left alone in the room.

"So, Peter, what time do you want to run in the morning?" Bella asked, as she picked up a few stray beer bottles and dishes from the end tables.

"Is 7am too early for you? I have some errands to run tomorrow, so I wanted to get an early start…"Peter replied, hoping it would be OK with her.

"7 is fine, Peter. I have to get into my studio downtown by 10 anyway, so that gives us time to run and get home."Bella replied, turning off lights as she headed up the stairs. She paused to look over her shoulder to where Peter stood watching her.

"Good night, Peter. Sleep well."

"Good night, Bella. See you in the morning." Peter replied, standing at the foot of the stairs until she disappeared at the top.


	4. Insomnia

**DISCLAIMER: S.M. owns Twilight and all its characters. I just have a crush on Peter…**

**Don't forget to vote in The Indie Twifics. My two stories, Anchorage is for Lovers and Worth the Pain are both nominated. Voting runs from July 8 through July 12. Let's see if we can get them into the nex t round, shall we? Thanks! ;) (see my profile for a link or visit www(dot)theindietwificawards(dot)com)**

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* * *

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In its early stages, insomnia is almost an oasis in which those who have to think or suffer darkly take refuge. -Sidonie Gabrielle Colet

_The worst thing in the world is to try to sleep and not to. -F. Scott Fitzgerald_

* * *

Peter stood at the bottom of the steps and watched until he heard the soft click of her bedroom door shutting. He wanted to follow her; to finish the kiss that had been interrupted before it began earlier. He shook his head softly and turned away; going downstairs to his own room. Tomorrow morning would bring a new opportunity to get to know this beguiling and dangerous woman.

Peter showered quickly in an attempt to relax enough to sleep; but hours later he lay in his bed staring at the ceiling. Reluctantly, he grabbed a pair of ragged flannel sleep pants and tugged them over his long legs to sit low on his hips and returned to the upstairs living room. He'd learned long ago that there was little hope of sleep coming to him after hours of tossing in bed.

Settling in on the larger of the two sofas, he flicked on the television, careful to set the volume low. He didn't want to wake Bella. After flipping through the channels a few times, he settled on an old movie, one that reminded him of his school days. It was almost over and another from the same group of actors, the Brat Pack they'd been called, was due to begin.

He lay quietly on the sofa, hands crossed behind his head, trying not to think and hoping that sleep would come soon. He was mid-way through the second movie, when a soft voice from over his shoulder startled him.

"Peter? What are you doing up still?" Bella asked, concern evident on her face.

"I could ask you the same thing, now couldn't I?" Peter replied with a grin.

"I don't sleep very well, haven't for years now." Bella replied.

"Well, we're alike that way, I guess. It's been two years for me." Peter replied, wondering what caused her sleeplessness and noting that she looked tired.

"Bella, want to watch a crappy old 80's movie with me? It's about halfway over, but I'm sure there's another crappy movie on after it…"Peter asked, shifting on the sofa and patting the spot next to him.

Bella nodded and tried to ignore the thrill of excitement that rushed through her at the thought of lying next to him on the sofa. He looked rugged and handsome in his frayed flannel pants with his broad well-defined chest bare. She must have hesitated a moment too long, because Peter winked at her before commenting in a teasing tone,

"I won't bite, Miss Bella. I'll even mostly keep my hands to myself."

As she snuggled down next to him and he draped his arm loosely around her shoulder, Bella thought to herself how she sincerely hoped he wouldn't keep his hands to himself and felt the blush that colored her cheeks at the thought.

After a few minutes of sitting and watching in silence, Peter began to recite all the cheesy lines of the male lead in the movie. Bella got tickled over his foolishness and laughingly proceeded to do the same for the leading lady. By the time the movie ended, they were comfortable and Bella was lying next to Peter with her legs caught between his. It was at once an intimate and comforting position. Bella couldn't remember the last time she had felt so comfortable and safe in a man's embrace, not even Jasper's, Edward's, or Emmett's. Peter Whitlock was proving to be a very dangerous man.

As the next movie began, she felt and heard Peter's breathing deepen and, when she craned her head up and back to look, she saw that he had fallen asleep with a small smile on his face. He looked peaceful and happy and she wondered if her presence made him feel safe the same way his did for her.

She was still musing over the almost instantaneous connection she felt with him as she pulled the throw from the back of the sofa and draped it over them both before settling down further into the protective circle of his arms. She was rewarded for her efforts by his soft sigh and a slight tightening of his arms around her as she wiggled into a better position and closed her eyes, breathing in the masculine scent of his soap from an earlier shower as she drifted to sleep.

* * *

"Uh Oh," was the first coherent thought to cross Peter's groggy mind as he cracked open his eyes the next morning. Judging from the amount of sunlight pouring through the windows, it was a lot later than 7am and he was definitely not sleeping alone on this sofa. His arms were full of sleeping Bella and damn, it felt like heaven! He stretched his arm out to grab his cell from the coffee table. Oh shit! It was already 8:30am. Bella needed to be at her downtown studio before 10am.

"Bella? Bella, honey, you need to get up. We've overslept and you don't have much time." Peter called softly, brushing the hair from her face and enjoying the feel of her soft skin against his knuckles.

"Mmmm?" Bella mumbled in response.

"Bella, its 8:30. You need to get going," he said, louder and stronger this time.

"Fuck!" was Bella's only response as she launched herself from the sofa, pausing only long enough to mutter a quick "Thanks, Peter!" before kissing his cheek and running at breakneck speed upstairs.

Peter remained on the sofa, stunned, his hand lightly stroking the spot that was tingling from her kiss. He was pretty sure he was grinning like a stupid bastard, but what the hell; it wasn't every day he got to wake up next to a gorgeous brunette.

He shook off the stupor and decided to help with what he could to get Bella out the door on time. After a few minutes of digging around in the kitchen cabinets, he found the coffee and had a steaming travel mug waiting for her when she came down. He wasn't sure how she took it, so she could fix it on her way out. She would need something to eat, too. Poking into the refrigerator and bread box, Peter quickly gathered the things he needed and made her a quick breakfast to go. He was just putting it all together as she came downstairs and grabbed her bag and phone off the kitchen table.

He held out the mug and told her to fix it up. While she did that, he wrapped the English muffin sandwich in foil and pressed it in her hand as she ran out the door.

"Thanks, Peter!" she called over her shoulder, blowing him a cheeky kiss, as she ran through the garage to her truck and backed out of the driveway.

"You're welcome, sugar," he replied as he watched her truck pull away, a goofy smile on his face.

He walked back to the kitchen, cleaned up his mess, and poured himself a cup of coffee. Sipping his coffee, he headed downstairs and threw on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. He had some errands to run and a plan to woo Bella when she returned later.

First up on his errand list was the car dealership. He needed to square away some transportation. Peter was definitely a pick-up truck kind of guy, so he asked the taxi driver to take him to the nearest Ford dealership. With the way to economy was going, the dealership was completely devoid of customers. Peter began to browse the line of F150s. He knew what he was looking for. He had simple Texas boy tastes and quickly narrowed down the selection to a black crew cab 4X4. He checked the window sticker and made sure it had the extras he needed. Satisfied that it would meet his needs, he turned back to and headed towards the dealership office. As soon as he entered, he was approached by a salesman. Looking at the man's name tag, Peter explained what he needed.

"Good morning, Felix. I'm going to buy that Black F150 over there, the one between the dark blue one and red one. Here's my credit card, so let me know when it's ready. Got any coffee around here?" Peter grinned as Felix's mouth dropped open.

Felix recovered quickly; taking both the credit card and Peter's outstretched hand.

"Well, Mr. Whitlock," Felix began, glancing at the card to get Peter's last name, "That is one beautiful truck. If you're sure that's the one you want, Demitri, in the shop, will go ahead and get it cleaned up for you. It'll take about 45 minutes or so to get all the paperwork completed and detailing finished. There's coffee in the waiting room around the corner, so help yourself."

Peter chuckled softly as Felix walked away, muttering softly about "the fucking easiest sale of his career". Peter had never really enjoyed the money that Charlotte's inheritance had afforded him after her death, but he thought she would have approved of the truck.

An hour later, Peter was comfortably ensconced in his new truck. He punched Bank of America into the GPS in the dash and followed those directions to the nearest branch. If he was going to set down some permanent roots in Denver, he would need to get some local accounts set up.

His business at the bank was straightforward and easy. He used Bank of America in Santa Fe, so it really was just a matter of changing his home office and getting his address updated. Glancing at the clock on the dash of his new truck, he decided to grab a quick bite to eat for lunch and then head to the grocery store to pick up the ingredients to make supper.

At the grocery store, he picked up the ingredients and a bouquet of flowers, no harm in flirting a bit, and made a quick stop at the liquor store. Finished, he plugged his home address into the GPS and went back to the house. It was 3:30, so there was just enough time to get dinner ready before Bella would get home.

Bella noticed the shiny black F150 sitting in the grass next to the garage as she pulled up to the house. It seemed Peter had been very busy while she was at the studio.

Bella was ready to get inside. It had been a brutal day; she'd been shooting school pictures all day for a local private school and, as much as she loved kids, she really wanted to not see any for at least the next few weeks, and had finished her day with a bridal portrait for an incredibly whiny bride-to- be.

She cut the truck engine and made her way through the garage to the mud room. Kicking off her shoes and hanging her jacket on the hook by the door, she called out to Peter.

"In here, sugar," Peter called back from the kitchen.

Bella followed the incredible smell wafting her way. As she walked through the doorway, Peter handed her a freshly made margarita on the rocks with a heavily salted rim. She moaned appreciatively after taking a sip before plopping down at the bar.

"Rough day?" Peter asked sympathetically, turning back to stir a skillet on the stove.

"Yeah, school pictures and a bridezilla." Bella replied, taking another sip of the margarita.

"Wow, Peter. This is a great margarita. What's for supper?" she asked, sniffing the air appreciatively again.

"I thought I'd cook us some good down home Tex-Mex comfort food, so I made steak and chicken fajitas, rice, and beans. Sound OK?" he replied, pausing to glance over his shoulder at her again.

"Oh wow! Peter that is awesome! I miss good Tex-Mex…I guess you can take the girl out of Phoenix, but you can't take the Phoenix out of the girl." Bella exclaimed, bouncing on the bar stool excitedly.

"Good, I'm glad you approve. Why don't you go get comfortable and by the time you get back down, everything will be ready" Peter suggested.

Bella agreed and, taking her drink with her, headed upstairs to change out of her work clothes. She paused for a moment, trying to decide how comfy she wanted to be. She channeled the spirit of Alice, and settled on a pair of well-worn holey jeans and a tight red tank top. Pulling her hair out of its professional knot, she combed through it with her fingers and slicked on some cherry chap-stick. She drained the last bit of her drink and carried the empty cup back downstairs with her.

"Perfect timing," Peter drawled as he began plating the food and took the empty cup from Bella's hand.

He placed the plates on the table, grabbed a daisy from the arrangement on the table, presenting it to Bella with a flourish, and poured them both another drink from the pitcher on the counter.

They spent the next hour and a half talking and laughing over their meal. At some point, Bella had moved from the chair across from him to one next to Peter. Peter was enjoying the radiating warmth from the closeness of her body. Eventually, they finished eating and Bella rose to clear the table. Peter followed behind her and grabbed a dish towel to dry the dishes she was washing at the sink. They were working in companionable silence until Bella leaned over and switched on the radio sitting in the window sill.

As the first notes sounded, Peter froze and the glass he had been drying slipped out of his hand, shattering on the kitchen floor. Bella startled, half turned and gasped at the look on Peter's face.

He was deathly pale and breathing fast and shallow, on the verge of hyperventilating.

"Peter! Peter what's wrong?" Bella asked, grabbing his arm and tugging him down to sit on the floor, careful to avoid the glass.

Peter was shaking all over and couldn't catch his breath; he looked like he would either vomit or pass out, and possibly do both, any second. Bella grabbed his head and pushed it down between his legs before hopping up to grab an ice pack from the freezer.

Bella had seen her share of panic attacks before and this was one hell of one. She sank to the floor next to him again and held the ice pack to the back of his neck.

"Peter, honey, you've got to breathe now," taking his hand and placing it on her chest, she continued, "Feel my breaths, now slow yours down. It's ok, you're going to be fine, but you need to breathe, Peter."

Gradually, his breathing calmed down, but he was still shaking like a leaf. She slid over next to him and wrapped her arms around his shaking frame. She smoothed his hair with her hand as he buried his face in her shoulder. After a few more minutes, he began to calm down and finally the shaking stopped. He still didn't release her, so she calmly asked,

"Peter, are you OK now? That was a bad panic attack. Do you want to talk about it?" she asked softly.

Peter nodded softly, but said nothing, still shaky.

"Come on, let's go sit in the living room." Bella said, keeping her tone soft and soothing.

She took his hand and helped him stand up, wrapping her arm around his waist since he was still shaky. They shuffled to the sofa and sat down.

Peter took a deep shuddering breath and murmured, "You probably think I'm a lunatic now. I'm sorry."

"Of course not, Peter. Panic attacks are not fun at all. Could you tell me what set it off?" Bella asked, again taking his hand in hers.

Peter sighed and replied, "Maybe I should start at the beginning?"

Bella simply nodded and began to rub soothing circles onto the back of his hand with her thumb.

"I met Charlotte my freshman year in college. From the moment I saw her, I knew I would never love another woman. It took a little time to convince her, but eventually I did. We married the following fall. We finished school as a married couple and began our professional lives soon after graduation.

"I was working long hours for my first architectural firm and Charlotte was working equally long hours as a research chemist for a pharmaceutical company. We'd been doing this for about 2 years when I got the phone call that Charlotte had gotten sick at work and had been rushed to the emergency room.

"I left work immediately and arrived at the hospital as they were taking her back for an MRI. She had a massive seizure en route to the hospital. She wasn't conscious and they didn't know what was wrong. I was panicking but somehow managed to answer the medical history questions that the doctors needed. Charlotte had never been sick a day in her life and I was absolutely terrified.

"I sat in the waiting room for what seemed like days, but was really only hours. Finally, a doctor came out to tell me what was going on. Charlotte was having seizures because of a massive tumor in her brain. He told me she had been stabilized and told me what room she was in and said I could go see her whenever I was ready. They had heavily sedated her, so she would not know I was there, but I wouldn't have stayed away for anything.

"As he turned to go, he stopped and turned back to me. He expressed his condolences and told me that she had miscarried as a result of the seizure. I guess he must have seen from the look on my face that I hadn't known about the pregnancy, because he immediately tugged me into a chair as the blood rushed from my face. A nurse appeared with a glass of water and I gradually regained control. We had been trying to get pregnant for a couple of months. I doubted Charlotte had known about our baby either.

"After about 30 minutes of absolute numbness, I rose and made my way to her room. For the next 12 hours, I held her hand. During that time, an oncologist and neurosurgeon came to her room to tell me about her options. The tumor was inoperable. They estimated that she had 3 to 6 months before it would kill her. Chemotherapy and radiation could possibly slow the tumor's growth and extend her a few more months. The prognosis was grim and I couldn't make a decision for her, so we waited.

"When she woke up, I held her hand while I told her what had happened and what the doctors had told me. She was so strong. She stroked my hair as I buried my face in the blankets on her bed and sobbed. After talking to the doctors herself, she declined all treatment. She chose to die with dignity on her own terms rather than allow the treatments to destroy what little time she had left.

"I took a leave of absence from my job with the full blessing of my boss and made it my mission to keep her as comfortable as I could. Four months later, my Charlotte slipped away in her sleep. That was two years ago last month.

"After she died, I pretty much lost it. I couldn't function. I didn't eat, I didn't sleep, and I didn't talk. I just couldn't function anymore without her.

"Aunt Carrie eventually got me into therapy. I was diagnosed with severe post-traumatic stress disorder and clinical depression. I got on some good medication and got some good therapy. After a year, the panic attacks and nightmares got less frequent, but I've not been able to totally control them and the insomnia is a result of fighting the nightmares.

"I came here for a change. I know Charlotte would want me to live and be happy. I couldn't do it in Santa Fe anymore, so here I am, broken but trying to glue myself back together again. I'm a fucked up mess of a man, Bella, it was a goddamned song on the radio that set me off just now. Charlotte loved that one and used to sing along with it all the time." Peter finished and kept his eyes firmly glued to his lap.

Bella let out a shuddering breath and wiped the tears from her cheeks. She couldn't imagine how much pain Peter must have been in; was still in. She gently lifted his chin until he was looking at her.

"Peter, there is nothing I can say that will ease this pain for you. You are not a fucked up mess! You have lost someone very precious to you and it takes time to get over that. Thank you for trusting me with your story," she whispered and pulled him into a strong hug.

Peter sobbed and, for the first time in two years, he cried until there were no more tears left in him.


	5. The Kiss

**DISCLAIMER: Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight and all its characters.**

* * *

The Kiss

* * *

Several weeks had passed since Peter had shared the depth of his brokenness with Bella. Jasper and Alice had returned from their trip and Peter had been spending most of his time with Jasper, enjoying the closeness with him that they had not had since growing up together as brothers after the untimely deaths of Peter's parents when he was small.

He continued to make headway in his relationship with Bella. They ran together most every morning now and very seldom did they end the evening without being curled on the sofa watching old movies on AMC. Bella starred in all of Peter's fantasies now, but he was hesitant to act on his desires. She certainly seemed comfortable with him, but never indicated a desire for more.

Bella, for her part, looked forward to every moment of time with Peter that she could garner and fervently desired a deepening of their relationship. She was ashamed of her body, however, and her insecurity kept a subtle wall up between them. Lately, she could sense that Peter was frustrated.

Peter had his own insecurities. He was terrified of spending the night with Bella and falling into one of his nightmares. He tried to pacify himself with the knowledge that he had already spent several nights in Bella's warm comforting arms on the sofa, or most notably, in her upstairs bedroom after that emotional night of storytelling; all of those nights without nightmares, but he feared that it was simply the calm before the storm and was ashamed of what he saw as a weakness.

Alice and Jasper seemed to be finding any excuse to thrust them together. Bella was Alice's maid of honor and the plan was for Peter to stand as Jasper's best man. That had been decided almost in the same moment of the official engagement. Peter's permanent arrival in Denver had simply reduced the logistical issues with tux fittings and other wedding party obligations. Anytime there was any wedding errand that needed to be run during regular business hours, Alice or Jasper would enlist Peter and Bella's help since their schedules were the most flexible.

The heavy wave of sexual tension that seemed to follow them wherever they would meet was not unnoticed by the rest of their circle of friends. Emmett and Edward often watched Peter subtly as he interacted with Bella. Peter was nothing if not observant, and, of course, did what he could to allay their fears. They thought of Bella as their sister and would cheerfully rip him to shreds if he played with her feelings or didn't behave appropriately with her. Edward especially seemed protective of her and had pulled Peter aside at the first hint of a budding relationship. Peter had listened patiently to Edward's thoughts on the matter and had graciously accepted them at face value, vowing that he would never purposely do anything to hurt her. Really, it was somewhat ludicrous that the conversation had even taken place; after all Peter and Bella had yet to even kiss, a fact that Peter was quick to bring to Edward's attention in an attempt to diffuse the tension during that uncomfortable conversation.

Lately, Peter had noticed that it was more and more of a struggle to keep his lips from claiming Bella's whenever they were in close proximity to each other. It was made doubly difficult when Peter would pull her into his arms after her frequent stumbling episodes. The blush that would rush to her face as he pressed her body to his own was becoming increasingly difficult to ignore and his body's instinctive response to the closeness of hers was a fact that had not gone unnoticed by her on several occasions.

Peter was pulled from his musings by Jasper's entrance into the kitchen. It was Saturday and Jasper was at loose ends on the days he didn't have rehearsals with his band mates.

"Mornin', Peter." Jasper drawled as he crossed the kitchen to fix a cup of the coffee that Peter had just finished brewing.

Peter inclined his head in response and waited as Jasper fixed his coffee and settled himself onto the remaining barstool at the kitchen counter next to where Peter had created a small pile of shredded napkin and was sipping his own coffee. Jasper had a way of calming Peter's spirit. His cousin was nothing if not a charismatic bastard. Jasper sat quietly, knowing that Peter needed to talk about something and content to wait him out.

Eventually, Peter, exasperated with Jasper's silence, huffed a breath and spoke,

"Bella's a special woman. I want to take her out this weekend. I thought a camping trip might be nice. Are we cool about this, Jaz?" Peter asked, wanting to make sure that he wasn't crossing some sort of invisible line.

"Man, you're my brother. If I could pick someone for her, there wouldn't be a better choice than you, but Peter, she's been through something really bad and it marked her. Be gentle with her, I know you can understand that because she's been gentle with you. Don't hurt her, man, or you'll answer to me." Jasper replied, speaking softly but firmly, not threatening but explaining how it would be.

Meanwhile, Alice and Bella were having a similar conversation. Bella was sprawled across the king sized bed in the master bedroom, lying on her stomach while Alice lay next to her flipping through Vogue.

"Alice, I don't know. I like Peter, a lot, but there's no way he could be interested in me. I mean, shit girl, he's slept with me on that damn sofa a least 2 nights a week since he moved in and never once has he tried to make a move." Bella huffed impatiently, and threw her arm across her eyes.

Alice remained silent a few moments, trying to think of the appropriate way to tell her best friend that she was an idiot. Finally, it dawned on her that Bella just needed reassurance.

"Bella, honey, have you lost your mind? I've seen the way that boy's eyes track you around the room. Every time he sees you, his whole face lights up and I swear your clothes should turn to ashes because of that smolder burning in his gorgeous baby blues. When he asks you to go out with him, go! Be happy, be young, and take what you want. You deserve the love and Peter can definitely give it to you," she declared, not bothering to hide the double entendre of her statement, a smirk firmly gracing her pixie-like visage.

Bella nodded thoughtfully at her brazen friend's words, but finally responded, "Ali, what if once he sees me, he can't get past it? He wouldn't be the first and I don't know…"

Alice cut her off before she could finish her sentence, "Bella, any man that doesn't see you for the beautiful woman, inside and out, that you are is a bastard and not worth your time. Peter isn't an asshole and I can already tell that he isn't going to reject any part of you that you offer to him. For once, Bella, follow your heart and stop thinking so damned hard!"

Bella smiled and tried to accept what her friend was telling her, but she knew in her heart that there would come a time with Peter where she would have to bare her body and, along with it, her soul. She tried to believe Alice and trust that Peter wouldn't be like the others, but there was never a guarantee.

She rolled over to her side and wrapped Alice in a hug,

"Thanks, Ali. I love you, sweetie. I don't tell you that enough do I?"

"Oh Bella, I love you too, honey. You know, I do still want that pair of Jimmy Choos…" Alice replied, smiling.

Bella grabbed one of the pillows from the bed and walloped Alice with it before hopping off the bed laughing. She paused in the doorway and in a more serious tone turned back to say,

"Alice? Thank you. I don't know what I'd do without you!"

"I know, Bella. You're my best friend and I only want you to be happy. I think Peter could really do that for you. Take the chance, Bella. Life is risk," Alice said softly, as Bella left to take her shower.

An hour later, she was in the kitchen pouring herself a cup of coffee. She was disappointed that Peter wasn't in his normal spot at the kitchen counter. He usually sat there on Saturday mornings reading the paper, but today the paper was neatly folded and laying on the countertop.

With a small sigh, she settled herself on the barstool and sipped her coffee. She was deep in thought as she sipped. Maybe she would take things into her own hands and just ask Peter out. After all, it wasn't the 1950's, she was a strong independent woman. There was no harm in asking him, right?

She was so lost in the thought that she jumped when a pair of warm strong hands began to massage her shoulders.

"Sorry, sugar." Peter said softly, never ceasing the gentle strokes he was treating her tense shoulders to, "I didn't mean to scare you. You just looked tense with your shoulders all hunched up."

Bella sighed softly and relaxed into his capable hands. His touch brought with it a delicious tingling sensation and she briefly wondered about how it would feel for him to be massaging other parts of her anatomy and felt her cheeks begin to redden in response to those naughty thoughts.

"What has you so flustered this mornin', Miss Bella?" Peter drawled in her ear, his voice dripping with innuendo.

Incapable of coherent speech with his lips so near her sensitive neck, she just managed a soft moan in response. She heard Peter's quick intake of breath in response and couldn't help the sigh that sounded suspiciously like his name that escaped her lips.

He grasped her shoulders firmly and spun her to face him. His eyes burned with desire and he couldn't rip his gaze from her lips. She stared back at him and pulled her bottom lip between her teeth and began to worry it. That was all it took to push Peter over the edge.

He quickly closed the distance between them and pulled that poor lip into his own mouth, smoothing it with his own tongue and reveling in the sweet flavor of her warm mouth. He had wanted to suck that beautifully plump lip into his mouth since the first time he'd seen her worry it with her teeth. This time it was his turn to moan softly.

He reluctantly released her lip and began to pull away slightly, but Bella wasn't having that. She threaded her tiny hands into his hair and pulled him back to her lips. He was soft and warm and perfect pressed there against her. His lips fit perfectly meshed with hers and when he sought to deepen the kiss, she allowed him access and reveled in the feel of his warm slick tongue exploring her mouth. His hands were firmly planted on her hips now, drawing her against his slightly parted thighs and grinding them softly together.

It was a perfect first kiss that was long overdue between them. The weeks of tension had been leading to this moment and hinted of moments of even more intense pleasure to come. Finally, they were both in desperate need of a breath and the kiss gentled and stopped. Peter leaned his forehead against hers, his harsh panting breaths matching hers.

"Wow..." Bella finally managed to gasp, once she was capable of coherent thought again.

"Wow indeed, sugar." Peter replied, equally overcome, wrapping his arms around her and keeping her close enough to feel her racing heartbeat.

"Bella, go out with me. I need to be with you, spend some time with just you. Go camping with me tonight at Dillon Reservoir," he murmured into her hair, breathing in her light floral scent.

She nodded and they broke their embrace to pack. They loaded camping gear, fishing gear, a cooler, and their bags in Peter's truck. There was a pleasant tension in the air as they made their way to the truck and pulled out of the driveway.

"We should stop at the grocery and load the cooler," Bella suggested as they left the neighborhood.

"Good idea. We'll be hungry if the fish stay away. What should we stock it with, sugar?" Peter asked.

"Hmm, they don't allow any glass at the reservoir, so we need drinks in aluminum cans or plastic bottles, maybe some hot dogs in case the fish doesn't pan out, sandwich stuff, Pop-tarts, coffee, and, of course, the makings for S'mores tonight when the sun goes down." Bella replied, making a mental list as they pulled into the grocery.

They strolled into the store together, hand in hand, content with each other's company and looking forward to what the solitary night promised.


	6. ACamping We Will Go

**DISCLAIMER: Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight and all its characters.**

* * *

A- Camping We Will Go

* * *

The weather was a sunny and warm 85 degrees when they arrived at the reservoir. They set up their campsite quickly and efficiently. Once the tent was up and their supplies were stowed, they grabbed their fishing gear and made their way over to an old wooden pier that jutted out over the water.

Bella carried the tackle box and Peter carried 2 poles. They sat side by side, legs brushing together softly. Peter reached over and wove his fingers through Bella's. He marveled for a moment how small her hand was against his. He lifted their joined hands and placed a sweet kiss on the back of her hand before resting them again on the warm wood of the little fishing dock.

As the sun began to set, they strolled hand in hand back to their campsite. Peter got busy building a campfire and Bella set to work cleaning the string of rainbow trout they'd managed to catch that afternoon. As she cleaned the fish, she thought about weekends in Forks with her dad. He and his best friend, Billy, had loved to fish and, consequently, there was never a lack of fresh fish to be cleaned and cooked. Bella had learned at a young age to scale, clean, and fillet a fish. A small smile touched her lips as she worked, lost in memories of that happier more innocent time.

"What has you so happy, sugar?" Peter asked, coming to sit next to her as she worked.

"Oh, just thinking of my childhood, actually. My dad loved to fish. When I was a kid, I never wanted to do the fishing, but my dad was an awful cook. He and his friend, Billy, would fish all day long and then bring the fish back for me to clean and cook. Billy and his son, Jake, would eat with us more often than not," she replied, her eyes far away and a small smile still gracing her lips at the memory.

Peter thought she was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen, sitting there with the last rays of sunlight catching the red highlights in her hair with that small smile on her face.

"Tell me more about it, Bella. They seem like happy memories," Peter replied, his own small grin lighting up his handsome face.

"OK. It'll be boring though, I'm sure. I was just a regular kid."

Peter just shook his head and smiled encouragingly.

"My parents divorced when I was very young. They married young and my mom wasn't really cut out for life as a wife and mother. I lived with my mom in Phoenix until she remarried when I was 15. She married a minor league ball player, Phil Dwyer. Anyway, I decided to move in with my dad, Charlie, to finish high school. So, I moved back to Forks in the middle of my freshman year.

"It was an interesting change for me. My mom, Renee, was always a major free-spirit, so I grew up fast. I had to constantly make sure our bills were paid and handled all the cooking and such. Mom loved me, but most of the time I had to work on raising her instead of her raising me. When she married Phil, I was actually relieved. He could assume that role from me and take care of her. Phil was a great guy and he was good to me.

"Charlie was independent, like me, and he was used to taking care of himself. God, the man was a horrific cook, though. It was the one household chore he let me take over without a fuss. I used to tease him about his horrible skills in the kitchen.

"Charlie loved to go fishing. Most of the time, he went with his friend, Billy Black, from the Quileute Reservation near Forks in La Push. One of my first official duties once I moved home was to cook fresh fish at a huge bonfire on the beach in La Push. Jacob Black, Billy's son, had been a friend of mine since I was very young. We had kept in touch off and on when I lived with my mom. Anyway, the first Saturday of every month, he and his friend's and Billy would have a huge bonfire and tell the old Quileute stories. Billy was the chief of the tribe, so he always told the stories. Jake had a big group of friends. I used to tease them that they were like a pack of wolves; those boys stuck together like brothers and they could eat you out of house and home!" she paused, laughing softly at the memory.

"That first Saturday that I was home happened to be a bonfire night. I spent the whole evening trying to keep those boys fed. I eventually gave up and just handed out packs of hotdogs and skewers. By the end of the night, I was one of the gang. Jake and the other guys took me under their wing as a little sister and their girlfriends did, too. I really miss them," her smile wavered a moment and some of the happiness left her eyes.

"But, they went to school on the reservation and I attended Forks High School, so the following Monday, I entered the school halfway through the year not knowing a soul. I was shy then, best you wouldn't have guessed that about me, huh?" she asked, glancing over as she flipped the fish to keep them from burning.

Peter smiled and shook his head, not wanting to interrupt her flow and enjoying her story.

"The worst thing to be when you are shy is the center of attention. Not only did I come in the middle of a year, but I was the Chief of Police's long lost daughter. I was not a happy girl about the attention. My first day there, I met Alice in my Spanish class. She was a ball of fire even then and immediately took me under her wing. She and Edward became my closest friends. Eventually, I started dating Edward. Even after we broke up, we stayed friends.

"Even as close as Alice, Edward, and I were, my best memories are still of Jake and the rest of the gang and those La Push bonfires. It was a great few years there with my dad. I was happy," she trailed off, staring into the fire.

They had long since finished eating and the fire was starting to die down. A delicate shiver ran through Bella as the air cooled. Peter scooted closer and wrapped his arms around her. She sighed and snuggled against him, feeling his warmth on an emotional and physical level.

Peter squeezed her closer and dropped his head to her shoulder, nuzzling her neck gently. Bella shivered as his warm breath whispered across her ear.

"Bella, you are so beautiful," Peter whispered.

Bella turned in the circle of his arms and brushed her lips against his. Peter wound his hand in the mahogany curls at the nape of her neck and deepened their kiss. What started out tentative quickly became frantic with need and desire.

"Peter, I want you," she sighed against his lips.

Peter stood, pulling Bella with him, and they walked hand in hand to the waiting tent. Once inside, they resumed their passionate kissing. Peter slipped his hand under the hem of Bella's shirt and felt her stiffen before he felt the scars. She pulled away, shame reddening her face.

Peter did not release her.

"Bella, you're beautiful and you'll tell me about these later, OK? But right now I want you, all of you." He whispered, lifting her downcast face to again claim her lips. The feeling of her warm lips moving in sync with his was indescribable.

Peter and Bella fell down to lie on the air mattress and continued to stoke the fire of their passion. Bella impatiently tugged Peter's shirt over his head and tossed it to the corner of the tent. She began to run her fingers softly over his chest. She wanted to touch every inch of him. Peter moaned softly as her hands continued their explorations.

Peter went to remove Bella's tank top. He needed to touch her perfect breasts. Again, Bella stiffened as he lifted the hem of her shirt, but Peter did not pause, he simply kissed her lips again and then lifted the top up an away.

He held in a gasp as he took in the scarring that marred her abdomen. She had been hurt badly and he was looking at the evidence of her pain. Tears were beginning to flow silently down her cheeks. She was so ashamed. Peter's heart swelled in that moment with love for this perfectly imperfect woman who had come to mean so much to him. He knew there were no words that would reassure her, so instead he reached up and gently wiped away her tears with his thumb, before leaning down and placing a gentle kiss on each scar. He tried to convey how much he cared for her in each soft caress and gradually felt her tense body relax into his.

He gently caressed each mark on her belly and finally came to the waistband of her shorts. He smoothly released the button and zipper and pulled them down her long lightly tanned legs, stopping to kiss and nibble each new patch of skin he discovered. Her soft breathy moans spurred him on as he hooked his thumbs into the sides of her simple cotton panties, sliding them from her body in a smooth practiced action.

She sighed his name as he softly brushed his hand over her heated flesh and stroked her soft damp curls. He could smell her sweet muskiness and dipped his head down to nuzzle her warm wet flesh. He flicked his tongue against her engorged clit and smiled against her as she writhed at the touch.

"Please, Peter…"she moaned softly.

Peter was not about to disappoint her, so he allowed his fingers to trace her folds and slowly enter her as his tongue continued his assault on her sensitive nub. He was exploring her now, testing to see what touch she preferred. He varied his strokes, long and deep seemed to be the most enjoyable for her, so he set a rythym with his fingers as he made love to her with his tongue, teeth, and lips. He felt her tightening and increased the pressure he was exerting, angling his fingers to stroke the spongy patch of nerves deep inside her. He felt her walls begin to contract around him and couldn't help his own moan. The vibration pushed her over the edge and she came hard writhing and pulsing around him, her hands wrapped in his hair holding him close during her release.

Peter gentled his movements slightly to allow her to ride out the waves of pleasure, placing soft kisses against the flesh of her inner thigh before finally releasing her. He was painfully hard and throbbing now, but tonight was about making Bella feel good. He wanted her pleasure even more than his own.

Peter had always been a generous and patient lover, but tonight he was even more sensitive. He knew she was afraid of his reaction to her body and he was seeking to reassure her with his lovingly whispered words, but even more importantly with his tender actions.

As her trembling muscles began to relax again, he slipped back up her body and stroked the sweat dampened hair from her face. Her eyes were softly closed and the tears from earlier had long since stopped.

"You are so beautiful, sugar. Don't be ashamed; I am honored that you are allowing me to love you," he whispered softly, placing warm soft kisses along her collarbone before trailing them down to her perfect breasts and teasing her nipples with his mouth.

"Oh God, Peter, please…I need more of you," she moaned, pushing against his shoulders.

Peter allowed her to direct him and slowly leaned back as she reached for the button on his shorts. She fumbled a moment with the button and zipper, but soon enough had the shorts off and was dipping her warm little hands under the waistband of his boxers, lightly stroking his shaft and exploring his reactions.

"Let's get you a little more comfortable, Peter," she murmured in a husky voice, deepened with her desire.

He shifted so that she could divest him of his boxers and lay down as she directed. She lay next to him, tucked against his side, her warm body pressed hard against him as she wrapped her hands again around his length and began to pump him. It was his turn to moan softly as she brought his to the edge of reason. He was surrounded by her warmth and scent. It didn't help that he could still taste her on his tongue.

"Do you want to make love to me, Peter? Do you want to bury your hard throbbing cock in my tight wet pussy?" she growled softly.

Peter shuddered as much at her words as the sensations she was sending through his painfully hard cock.

"Fuck, Bella. Yes, baby. Let me love you now," he moaned, rolling to cover her body with his.

He stroked the head of his member against her wet warm slit and felt her shudder against him. He had intended to be slow and gentle with her, but his resolve was fading fast as the frenzy of their need washed over him.

In one smooth hard thrust, he seated himself fully within her and they both groaned their approval. She was already tight and fluttering against his shaft as they began to build a hard fast rhythm. Peter could feel that he would not last long this time and reached between them to squeeze and stroke her clit.

"Scream for me, Bella. I want to cum deep inside you, but I need to hear you first, baby," he growled in her ear.

As if on cue, his words and hot breath against her neck pushed her over the edge and he felt every single muscle inside her grip him impossibly hard as she cried out in ecstasy. He slammed into her mercilessly, riding the edge of his own release until he could hold back no longer. With a roar he released inside her. His muscles went limp at the power of his orgasm and he dropped down onto her claiming her lips once again and burying his face into the crook of her neck as the shuddering tremors of his own incredible orgasm waned.

It was her turn to stroke the damp hair from his face as he rolled slightly to pull her against his chest, their hearts still thundering in their chests. They lay content in each other's arms as their breathing returned to normal and their heartbeats slowed.

Peter's hands moved down to again stroke her scars, wondering who could have hurt this beautiful woman. He knew in that moment that he was in love with her; there was no going back for him now.

"His name was James and I thought he was the love of my life…" she began her story, her body tensing again at the prospect.


	7. When the Past has Teeth

**DISCLAIMER: Stephenie M. owns Twilight – I own nothing!**

* * *

When the Past Still Has Teeth

* * *

"His name was James, and I thought he was the love of my life…" Bella began, her body already tensing from the unpleasant memories.

Peter wrapped his arms a little tighter around her in response.

"Bella, you don't have to tell me anything you're not ready to discuss. We have plenty of time."

She took a deep breath and squeezed the hand he was resting on her hip.

"No, Peter. I want to tell you. It's just a difficult story.

"I met James my sophomore year in college. He was everything I wasn't; outgoing, spontaneous, a little dangerous. He had a bad reputation, but I was convinced it was just a show he put on. I thought that inside he was gentle and caring. That was how he drew me in.

"The boys all hated him immediately. Jasper couldn't be in the same room with him. Everything about James made Jasper crazy. Emmett insisted that James wasn't good enough for me and Edward was an absolute mess. The boys had always been protective, so I chalked it up to big brother syndrome and not so politely told them to butt out and mind their own business.

"Alice tried to be supportive, but she saw how James treated me and eventually, my stupidity where James was concerned isolated me from everyone that cared about me. We were together for 3 months before he moved me into his apartment. It was 3 more months before I lost contact with the gang. Two months after that he hit me for the first time. By that point, I didn't feel like I had anywhere to go and I was so emotionally beat down that I thought James was as good as it could get for me.

"He was very careful. He never beat me where it could be seen, but at any given moment my back, belly, and thighs would be covered in bruises, cuts, even bites.

"We had been together for 9 months when I got pregnant. I was a complete mess. James came home to find me huddled in the bathroom with the positive test in my hand. He beat me so bad he put me in the hospital. My neighbors, Angela and Ben, heard the screaming and fighting and waited for James to leave the apartment before coming to check on me.

"They found me lying in a pool of blood and unresponsive. I died on that bathroom floor, Peter. Ben was a pre-med student and realized I had miscarried and was hemorrhaging. If he hadn't done CPR, I wouldn't be here today. Angela called 911 and used my cell phone to call Jasper & Alice, who were listed as my emergency contacts in my contacts list.

"I was in a coma for 4 days. Looking back, I think I didn't want to wake up. I didn't think I had anything to live for. Eventually, my dad arrived from Forks. His voice broke through the fog and I did wake up.

"The police came soon after. I refused to talk to them for another 3 days. I was afraid to tell them what happened. Jasper changed my mind.

"I woke up in the middle of the night on the 8th day I was in the hospital and Jasper was sitting next to my bed, clutching my hand with silent tears streaming down his face. He had no idea that I was awake and it broke my heart. You see, of all the boys, Jasper and I are the closest. He is my brother in every way that matters. I reached out to stroke his head and he broke down completely.

"In that moment, a switch flipped inside me. I could see what this had done to my family. Charlie was murderously angry, Jasper was so angry he couldn't process the emotions, Emmett and Edward were both livid and searching on their own for James, who hadn't been back to the apartment since that day, Alice was devastated over my lost pregnancy and battered body, even Angela and Ben had been affected. I got mad. That's probably an understatement. I got enraged!

"Once Jasper calmed down, we talked for hours. I told him everything; about the beatings, the emotional abuse, the brutality, my own sense of worthlessness. He called bullshit on every one of my excuses and then he told me to do the right thing, kissed my forehead, and left for the night.

"I didn't sleep that night. When the sun rose that next morning, I pulled the card Sgt. Felix Cologero had left me out of the nightstand drawer and asked him to come to my room. I told him and his partner Demetri everything. I told them I wanted to press charges and that I would testify against James.

"I was ready to be discharged 2 days later, but I had nowhere to go. I was still distancing myself from my family. I was completely screwed up emotionally. I hadn't told them I was being discharged and I had no idea where I was going to go. I didn't want to leave Seattle. I was about to graduate and I couldn't bear to let him screw that up for me.

"As I picked up the phone to call a taxi to take me to a hotel, Emmett crashed through my door. Edward had heard from a friend of his that worked as a CNA on my floor that I was being discharged and had told the rest of the gang. Emmett was furious with me for not telling them. He held it back, but finally told me I was an idiot, before towing me behind him to his car and moving me into his spare room at his apartment. The whole way there, he told me how much I meant to him and to all of them and that I had to get my head on straight and stop letting the asshole color my relationships.

"That was a turning point for me. Edward called his dad, Carlisle, and got me the name of a good therapist. I started seeing her twice a week. Tanya was very good to me and she knew where I was coming from. She specialized in therapy for battered women. I had a lot of problems. I had severe panic attacks and awful nightmares. I was eventually diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. For the rest of my junior year, I concentrated on getting healthy, rebuilding my friendships, and studying.

"It was hard to move past everything though. James had disappeared. Sgt. Cologero and his partner weren't giving up, but they had no leads at all on James' whereabouts. It was like he just ceased to exist.

"I was finally making headway as our senior year began. The medication I was taking was helping with the panic attacks and nightmares. I was doing well in my classes and was feeling comfortable in my own skin again.

"It was October when I got the first package. I was still living at Emmett's and it was working fine for us. He was my teddy bear-bodyguard. Anyway, I came home that day from classes and grabbed the mail from the box on my way in. There was a note that I had a package waiting at the complex's office, so I dropped my bag and the other mail on the counter and walked over.

"Carrie, the rental manager, was there and grabbed the box for me and I headed home. When I got back to the apartment, Alice was sitting on the sofa watching a movie. I dropped the box on the counter and hung out with her for a few minutes, catching up with her and letting her gush about Jasper.

"I got up to get a couple of Cokes from the kitchen and saw the package, so I grabbed the drinks and the box and took it back in the den with me. It was a plain brown shipping box with no return address, but I really didn't think anything about it. I figured Charlie might have sent it; he often sent little care packages, so it wouldn't have been unusual.

"I used my fingernail to slit the tape on the seam and opened it to see a manila envelope inside. Nothing else was in there, just the sealed 9x12 envelope. I remember being so confused and starting to worry a little about it. When I opened the envelope, there were photos inside.

"Alice told me later that I didn't stop screaming until Tanya arrived and knocked me out. My friends handled telling Sgt. Cologero about the incident," She paused there, her entire body trembling in Peter's arms.

Peter turned her to face him and wiped the tears from her cheeks.

"Baby, if it's too hard, you can stop. I don't have to know tonight," he murmured, kissing her softly and stroking her back in soothing circles.

Eventually, her trembling eased and she relaxed against him. Finally, she spoke,

"No, Peter. I need to get this out. It helps to talk about it. Besides, you need to know in case I have the nightmare tonight," she replied softly, huddling still into his comforting arms.

Peter just nodded and prodded gently,

"Sugar, what happened?"

"The pictures were telling me the story of my father's murder and his final resting place. I saw frame by frame how James tortured him to death and then buried him in the backyard. Felix and Demetri called the Forks PD and they weren't even aware there was anything wrong. It seems that they had gotten an email from Charlie that he was going to come visit me for a week, so they hadn't been expecting him in.

"James was very smart. He had covered his tracks well. No one had even missed Charlie until I got the package. They found his body exactly where the pictures showed it.

"I lost it after that. I had to be hospitalized for a few days because I was hysterical every time the sedatives would wear off. Eventually, I got a grip on myself and was able to go home. From that point on, I was never alone at night. Alice practically moved into my bedroom with me because the nightmares were so bad if I slept alone. When she needed a break, Angela or one of the boys would stay there with me.

"Every Monday after that first package, I received a new one. They were always of me after that. He was stalking me. I knew he'd kill me once he got the chance.

"When I got the first picture of Jasper and Alice asleep in their bedroom, I panicked. I ran outside and screamed at him to come and get me and leave them alone. He stepped out of the line of trees and I walked over to him. If I had to die to keep my friends safe, then I would do it. He took me back into the apartment. He tortured me for hours, he beat me, he raped me, and he took any hope I had left.

"As the sun began to set, he told me of his plans for Alice. He said he was going to enjoy fucking her and hearing her cry, and then he shot me three times. Those are the scars you saw.

"I heard Alice trying to open the door and I screamed at her to run. James kicked me in the face and I passed out. Alice told me later that she had heard the gunshots and had called Felix immediately. She had a can of pepper spray in her hand at the ready when she heard me scream. When James knocked her down, she managed to get a good load of it into his eyes. Felix arrived a few moments later after Alice barricaded herself in the bedroom.

"I woke up two weeks later in the hospital with the scars you saw, unable to have children because of the scar tissue, and a shitload of them that you can't. James was declared criminally insane and he's locked up in a maximum security asylum. James killed my father, Demetri, and my mother before they took him down. It turns out he had killed my mother in her home only hours before flying to Seattle to get to me.

"What keeps me up at night is the knowledge that he's still out there. Sure, he's locked up, but I can't shake the feeling that someday he'll come back for me," Bella was silent as she finished, the trembling was gone, but she felt nothing.

Peter felt her shutting down. Her body went limp in his arms and her breathing became shallow. He was shocked by her story and knew there was nothing he could say to make it better for her, but he knew that he had to keep her with him. He couldn't let her shut him out.

So, he did the only thing he could. He kissed her, hard, and crushed her to his chest. When she began to return his kiss, he broke away and murmured comforting things in her ear. When he told her he loved her, she finally broke down and sobbed in his arms. He held her until the sobbing stopped and she calmed down.

"What can I do, Bella? How can I help you with this?" he asked softly, anguish clear in his voice.

"Just hold me, Peter. Let me feel safe for awhile," she whispered.

"I'll never let you go, baby," Peter replied, snuggling her down under the blankets and holding her securely in his arms.

When her nightmare came later that night, he never let go and his whispered words calmed her. Sometime after that, he slept; his arms still securely around her petite frame and her head tucked under his chin.

When the first rays of sunshine began to lighten the dim interior of the tent, Peter woke to feather light kisses on his jaw and neck. When he cracked his eyes open, Bella was next to him kissing every part of him that she could reach from the safety of his arms.

Her leg was thrown over his and her warm body was rubbing against his. He tangled his hand in her hair and moaned loudly as she slid herself down onto his waiting erection. They made love slowly and reached their peaks together. Peter knew she was showing him with her body how much she loved him and he knew in that moment that they would never be apart again. He could wait for her to be ready to tell him, her actions were telling him what her mouth couldn't.

**

* * *

**

The C2 that I help staff is hosting a contest, so please participate...it'll be fun! (Following announcement courtesy of Kitty Cullen-03)

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	8. Really One of the Gang Now

**DISCLAIMER: Stephenie Meyer owns all things Twilight. **

**Ha, I bet you guys thought I had given up on this story, eh? Tricked you! The muse and I finally came to an agreement, so I give you this short chapter, but rest assured I have a direction now, so updates will come at least once a week. Thanks most especially to JaspersBella for her encouragement and ideas…Wendy, you may recognize a thing or two as we move forward…and thank you to the many others who've PM'd me asking about this…I've said it before and I'll say it again: I have terrific readers and I love all of you. Now, read and review, mmmkay?**

* * *

Really One of the Gang Now

* * *

Peter was not looking forward to spending the weekend alone. He'd gotten used to being around the gang, and most especially around Bella, but he was on his own this weekend at the house.

Alice and Jasper had decided to take a weekend alone as a break from the stress of their impending wedding. Alice, never the calmest of individuals even under the best of circumstances, was practically vibrating with stress as the final weeks before the wedding began to tick away. Jasper had sat back in typical laid back fashion until she had actually started suffering from stress induced migraines. At that point, his natural protectiveness kicked in and he threatened to fly them both to Vegas to elope if she didn't chill out. Peter had stepped in, at great personal risk, and offered them a weekend at the condo he and Charlotte had bought not long after they married in Puerto Vallarta. They had agreed gratefully and he and Bella had put them on a plane bound to Mexico the morning before.

Peter had hoped at the time that he and Bella would enjoy a weekend alone at the house, but it didn't pan out. National Geographic called Bella out on assignment to replace a photographer that had become ill on-site and she had flown out the same day as Jasper & Alice.

So, here he sat with a book open on his lap and nothing on the agenda. He couldn't even count on the gang to give him something to do. Edward was at a seminar at Johns-Hopkins in Baltimore for the rest of the weekend and most of next week and Emmett and Rosalie had flown to Seattle to visit Emmett's parents. Peter was pretty sure Emmett was getting ready to pop the question and he couldn't think of a better couple, well, other than him and Bella, but it was way too soon for that with them.

Peter was contemplating a weekend of boxer shorts, beer, and boxing on HBO when the phone rang shrilly. Peter felt a shiver of foreboding slide down his spine; he had a bad feeling about the call. His Aunt Carrie used to say he was very perceptive, but Jasper long ago had eloquently decided that Peter just knew shit. Peter hoped this wasn't one of those times as he headed to the kitchen to grab the phone.

"Hello?"

"Yes, Could I speak to Bella Swan or Alice Brandon, please?"

"I'm really sorry, but they're out of town right now. I'm their housemate, Peter Whitlock; could I take a message for them?"

"Oh thank goodness, you were next down on her contact list! My name is Annie Harris and I'm an ED nurse at Denver Health. We just brought in a Heidi Cullen and haven't been able to reach anyone on her contact list yet."

The woman continued to speak on the other end of the phone, but Peter no longer heard what she was saying. He interrupted her,

"Ma'am, I'm on my way now!"

Peter sent up a silent prayer of thanks that he hadn't cracked open a beer yet as he slipped behind the wheel of his truck and headed towards the hospital, his heart heavy with dread.

* * *

It took 30 minutes solid to arrive at the hospital and get parked. Peter ran from the parking lot to the ED and skidded through the door, narrowly missing a young man hobbling out on crutches.

The ED receptionist looked at him disapprovingly as he loped over to the desk and impatiently drummed his fingers against the edge of the desk. Finally, it was his turn.

"Good afternoon, may I help you?"

"Yes, ma'am. My name is Peter Whitlock and I got a call a half hour ago from an Annie Harris about my friend, Heidi Cullen, being brought in. Is she alright? Can I see her?"

Just at that moment, a matronly looking woman in surgical scrubs strode through the double doorway and called his name.

Peter turned on his heel and strode quickly over to her.

"I'm Peter Whitlock. How's Heidi?"

"Mr. Whitlock, I'm Annie Harris. We spoke on the phone earlier. Mrs. Cullen was in an auto accident and she's being treated now. She's been badly injured and we won't know anything else for a few hours."

"Has anyone called her husband, Edward yet?"

"Yes, I called and left him a message before I got in touch with you. He hasn't returned the call yet."

"Please keep me posted."

Peter sank into an uncomfortably hard waiting room chair. He could feel the panic flutter at the edges of his psyche.

_This is not Charlotte. I need to be strong. Heidi needs me and Edward will, too, when he gets here. Keep it together, Whitlock._

He dropped his head into his hands and took several deep calming breaths, repeating his mantra over and over until he felt calmer. With fairly steady hands, he pulled his cell phone from his pocket and stepped outside to make some very hard phone calls.

Peter took another deep breath and scrolled through his contact list, hitting send when he located the one he needed.

Of course, it went right to voicemail,

"Edward, it's Peter. I need you to call me immediately when you get this message. Heidi was in an accident and I'm here at Denver Health waiting in the ED. I'm going to try you at Johns-Hopkins, too."

He hung up and called information. Once he had the phone number for the conference center at Johns-Hopkins, he dialed the number and waited impatiently for the receptionist to answer.

"Good afternoon, Johns-Hopkins Conference Center, this is Judy. How may I assist you?"

"Hello, Judy. My name is Peter Whitlock and I have to speak to Dr. Edward Cullen immediately. It's a family emergency and he's at a seminar there. Please, it's urgent."

"Ok, Mr. Whitlock. Please hold while I page him. Dr. Edward Cullen, correct?"

"Yes, thank you. Please hurry!"

Peter paced nervously as he waited what seemed to be an eternity, but was actually only a few minutes.

"This is Edward Cullen."

"Edward, it's Peter. Have you checked your messages yet?"

"No, Peter. I've been in classes all day. What's wrong?" a note of concern colored Edward's response.

"Heidi's been in an accident, Edward. I'm at Denver Health now." Peter cringed as he heard Edward's chocked gasp on the other end.

"What" Edward paused to clear his throat, obviously struggling for control, "What happened? Is she, OK? Oh God, the baby?"

"She was in a car accident and they're working on her now. They don't know the extent of her injuries yet and I'm so sorry, I don't know anything about the baby. They couldn't tell me very much."

Peter's own eyes were burning as he could hear Edward's ragged breathing on the other end of the line.

"OK, I'm on my way now."

"I won't leave her, Edward. I'll be here when you get here."

"Thank you, Peter. See you soon."

Peter's careful composure broke and he slid down the brick wall and waited for the tremors to pass before dialing the next number on his list.

Alice answered on the first ring and promptly burst into tears as Peter told her the news. Jasper grabbed the phone from him and muttered a string of impressive expletives before promising they would be on the next flight to Denver.

The telling was not getting easier for him with each call, but there were only two more now.

This time, Emmett answered and took the news in stride, as he did all things, only pausing to ask if Edward was there yet and promising to be there with Rosalie as soon as possible.

The final phone call was the one he was trying to hold it together for the most. He had to be strong for her.

All his resolve flew out the window the second he heard her sweet voice on the other end of the line. Through chocked sobs he relayed what was going on and as luck would have it, her shoot had just finished and she was at the airport waiting for her flight to board. As they spoke, he heard her flight called. She would probably beat them all here.

"Bella, I love you, babe. Be safe." Peter whispered, not trusting his full voice yet.

"I love you, too, honey. I'll be there soon. I'm coming." Bella whispered back.

Both of them were too caught up in their fear for Heidi to notice what Bella had said. There would be time for that later, God willing.


	9. The Waiting Game

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own anything. S.M. is the Twilight Diva.**

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* * *

The Waiting Game

* * *

Peter sighed, flipped his phone shut, and sank into the uncomfortable waiting room chair. He wasn't a religious man, having turned his back on the faith of his childhood after losing his Charlotte, but there was little he could do but pray as he waited.

"_Dear Lord, I know I haven't been in touch recently, but I need some help here. I'm sorry for turning my back on you, Lord. I know that Charlotte is home with you now. Give me the strength to move on. Please don't let Edward go through the same hell I've been through. Don't take Heidi and the baby from him. Give us all strength, Lord, to help Edward through whatever is to come. Place your hands on Heidi and the baby, Father. You are the great physician. In Your name I pray, Amen."_

A hand on his shoulder startled him as he finished; opening his eyes, he looked up into the face of an elderly woman. He'd never seen her before, but she looked kind.

"Young man, I noticed you looked like you could use some coffee. Would you walk an old woman to the cafeteria?" she asked.

"Well, I really shouldn't leave the waiting room…" Peter replied, eyes scanning the doorway.

"They'll give you a pager at the desk. Come on, now. You'll be no good to anyone in the state you're in," she urged gently.

Peter nodded. It would be hours before any of them could get here and there had been no change in Heidi's condition since he'd arrived. It couldn't hurt to get some coffee and maybe a sandwich into his belly. He rose and walked over to the receptionist.

"Excuse me, ma'am? I'm Peter Whitlock. I was waiting for news about Heidi Cullen."

The receptionist looked up and nodded in recognition.

"What can I do for you Mr. Whitlock?"

"I'm going to get a cup of coffee in the cafeteria. Is there any way I could get a pager in case something happens? Her husband won't be here for several hours and she doesn't have any other family. I'm her only contact at the moment."

"Of course. One moment," she replied, fiddling with a black pager.

She tapped away on her computer keyboard for a couple moments, reading a code off of the pager before handing it over to Peter.

"This pager is linked to her file in our computer system now, so if it vibrates, come back and we'll let you know what the update is."

"Thank you, ma'am," Peter replied, turning back to the older woman and taking her withered hand in the crook of his arm.

Peter wasn't sure why he was going anywhere with this woman, but she reminded him a bit of his granny. She'd been old as dirt even when he was a young kid, but he remembered her kind blue eyes. They were the same eyes that stared at him every day in the mirror and Jasper shared them, too. Whitlock eyes, she'd called them.

They walked slowly, the woman unsteady on her feet, shuffling along and clutching his arm for support. Soon, they arrived at the cafeteria. Peter sat her down at a table and went up to get a cup of coffee and a mug of tea. He spied a fresh looking turkey sandwich in the cooler and added that to his tray, his stomach protesting the lack of earlier food. The cashier was pleasant and rang up his purchases, quickly handing him his change.

Peter crossed over to the woman and placed the mug of tea in front of her, along with some packets of sugar and little tubs of creamer. She smiled and thanked him.

"So, ma'am, are you waiting for someone?" Peter asked, trying to make polite conversation as he began to eat his sandwich.

"Yes. My husband, Harold, is here today. He's had another stroke. I don't think he'll be here long, though," she replied cryptically.

"I'm sorry to hear that, ma'am. I'm waiting for word about my friend, Heidi. Her husband won't be here until later, so I'm waiting for him and the rest of our friends to arrive. She's pregnant and I'm afraid for her and the baby," Peter offered, unsure why it was so easy to talk to this woman.

They talked a few more minutes about nothing important and the woman finished her tea. She stood on shaky legs and bid him farewell.

"Thank you, Peter. I'd better go see about my Harold now. He's ready to go home, I think."

She pressed a slip of folded paper into Peter's hand and tottered away, heading down the hallway towards the waiting room. Peter watched her go and simply held the paper in his hand for a moment. He had a strange feeling about the woman. He rose quickly, tossing his trash as he went. He rounded the corner and stepped into the hallway, expecting to see the old woman still tottering down the hall, but there was no sign of her.

Peter paused, confused as to where she could have disappeared to so quickly. The slip of paper seemed heavy in his palm, so he lifted it and unfolded the creases.

_Charlotte says it's not Heidi's time to come home yet. Have faith, Peter. _

With a gasp, Peter dropped the paper to the hallway floor and snapped his head up; searching in earnest for the woman. She stood at the end of the hallway with a man in a hospital gown. She lifted her hand slightly toward him and then was gone.

Peter sank to the hallway floor and didn't move for a long time. Eventually, the little pager began to vibrate in his pocket. He became aware of his surroundings and stood on shaky legs. When he arrived in the waiting room, he walked up to the receptionist again and handed her the still buzzing pager.

"Hello, Mr. Whitlock. There's been some news about Mrs. Cullen. Have a seat and I'll page her doctor," the receptionist replied.

Peter nodded numbly, still in shock over what could only have been an encounter with an angel, and sank back into his seat from earlier, allowing his head to fall back against the wall; his mind buzzing over his encounter and his heart struggling to accept the hope it offered.

His inner reflection was interrupted a moment later by a throat being cleared. He raised his head and his eyes met those of a young doctor in rumpled scrubs. His face was gentle but tired.

"Mr. Whitlock? I'm Doctor Ferguson. I understand you're a friend of Mrs. Cullen's. Do you know when her husband will be here?"

"Nice to meet you. Edward was out of town and is trying to get here, but it'll be several hours at the earliest."

"OK, well, due to confidentiality, I can't tell you everything, but Mrs. Cullen is stable right now. We're going to keep her at least over night, but she was very lucky."

"And the baby?" Peter whispered, almost afraid to ask.

"Also, fine, but she'll need to rest for the next few days. I'm sorry, I really can't tell you anything else," Dr. Ferguson replied, looking sheepish.

"No, it's OK, I understand. Thank you," Peter replied, standing and shaking the young doctor's offered hand.

Peter strode quickly outside and scrolled quickly to Edward's name in his contact list. Hitting send, he prayed that Edward would be able to answer.

"Yes." Edward answered curtly, strain evident in his voice.

"She's going to be OK, Edward. I just spoke to the doctor." Peter said, relief evident in his voice as he passed along the good news to his friend.

"Thank God! The baby?" Edward whispered, emotion roughening his usually melodic voice.

"Fine as well. The doctor said they're both fine. Now hurry up and get your ass here." Peter replied, his own voice husky.

They said their goodbyes. Edward was waiting for a connecting flight and would be arriving in Denver just before midnight. Peter sent a quick text to the rest of the group.

_Heidi & baby OK. Edward here midnight. – P_

He got replies from Emmett and Alice, but nothing from Bella. That probably meant she was in the air or touching down now. It was about that time.

He resumed his position in the waiting room, his nerves soothed with the knowledge that everything was going to be OK. He dozed off and dreamed.

_Charlotte was with him. He could feel her presence. He felt peaceful, like he was where he was supposed to be._

"_Peter, open your eyes. I want to see those baby blues, sugar," Charlotte whispered in his ear._

_Peter obeyed. He would have done anything she asked. He gasped as he took in her beauty. It had been so long since he'd seen her. God, he had missed her face, her voice._

"_You're dead. You left me," he whispered._

"_Yes," she replied softly, "I'm sorry. I wanted to stay."_

_Peter nodded. He knew this already. She had held on for him. It was time to let her go. She needed peace and so did he._

"_You know that I will always love you, Peter. But, baby, you have to get over me. You have to live again; find love again. She's good for you and she needs you, too," Charlotte said, lovingly stroking his cheek._

"_I love you, too, Char. I miss you, darlin'. I don't want to forget you," he sobbed, holding her hand to his cheek, warm tears spilling over their fingers._

_She smiled softly and gently kissed his lips. He knew this was goodbye. It hurt, but he knew it was time._

"_Live and love for me again, Peter."_

_And then she was gone. _

"_Goodbye, Charlotte," he whispered._

Peter woke, to a soft caress. As he swam back to consciousness, he recognized her touch, her scent. It was vanilla with a hint of freesia. Bella.

He opened his eyes and wondered if he was still dreaming. Her eyes were red-rimmed from crying, but she was achingly beautiful. He pulled her to him and squeezed her tight; needing to feel her warmth.

"Bella," he breathed.

She hummed against his neck and his heart constricted painfully in his chest with love for her. This was all he needed. Her in his arms was enough. Their friend would be fine and so would they.


	10. The Plot Thickens

**DISCLAIMER: Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight and all its characters. In fact, she'd most likely not approve of what I'm doing to them. This is an "M" rated story. If you're underage, please, find your entertainment elsewhere. We'll start this chapter off with a little lemonade, so enjoy!**

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* * *

Peter slowly woke, morning light just beginning to stream through the windows. He'd passed a restless night full of nightmares. Ever since Heidi's accident, he'd started having the hospital waiting room dream again. Over and over, the young doctor crushed his entire existence. Peter had woken in the midst of a full blown panic attack with Bella's arms wrapped around him and her soft soothing voice whispering in his ear.

Just as his embarrassment over his vulnerability began to rear its ugly head, Bella's soft hands smoothed back a wayward curl from his forehead. He gradually became aware that they were wrapped up tightly together and his rigid stance eased. It embarrassed him to no end that Bella had to see him at his worst, but, damn, he was happy to be wrapped up in her arms and safe.

"Good morning, babe," he murmured, grogginess roughening his voice.

"Mmhmm, it is," Bella replied, burrowing closer into the crook of his neck.

Peter shivered as her breath whispered across his sensitive skin. He felt her smile against him and couldn't hold back a low moan as her warm tongue darted out to taste him. Peter was already hard and aching. How that girl could drive him insane so easily, he'd never know! When she pressed her hips into his, he growled and she giggled.

"You think this is funny, babe?" he growled, playfully thrusting back against her and smirking when it was her turn to moan.

He allowed his hands to explore her soft skin. One hand found its way to the silky hair at the nape of her neck and tilted her head so he could better ravage the skin there. The other was busy caressing and teasing her through her thin camisole and lacy boy shorts.

He growled again as she slid her hands under the waistband of his boxers and stroked the velvety skin, stretched tight over his throbbing erection. He nipped at her collarbone in retaliation and she arched her back to give him better access.

"Too many clothes, Isabella," he muttered, helping her to remove her top and tossing it over his shoulder.

Bella was panting and writhing now under his skilled touch. Her eyes were dark and intense as she licked her lips in anticipation. She reached for Peter and pulled him down to her for a searing kiss. She caressed his tongue with her own, reveling in his touch and immersing herself in the power of Peter.

They broke away from the kiss panting and ready to be together more completely. Peter hooked his fingers into the sides of her panties and pulled them down and off, flinging them in the same general direction as her top had gone before.

He slid his hands back up her legs, pausing to stroke her wet heat and eliciting a shuddering moan from Bella. He couldn't wait to sink into her and positioned himself against her.

"Bella, look at me, babe," he whispered.

When her eyes met his, he slid deep into her. They both shuddered as he set a slow, languorous rhythm.

This was Peter's heaven. He'd once thought life was over for him. He'd lost everything that mattered to him. Existing on autopilot for two years, he'd waited to die, too. Hell, he'd wanted to die.

Slowly, Bella was bringing him back to life and giving him a reason to continue on. He doubted she understood how much he owed her. As these thoughts rolled through his mind, he began to increase the speed and depth of his strokes.

"Ahhh, Peter, this is so good, honey. I love you so much," Bella moaned, hitching her legs up around his waist and drawing him into her deeper.

Peter's heart thudded in his chest at her words. She'd told him she loved him and it still floored him every time.

"God, sugar, I love you, too. So much," he grunted, feeling his climax approaching.

He lowered his mouth to her breast and nibbled the hard peak of her nipple, feeling her begin to tighten around him. He was struggling to hold on, but wanted her to go with him. Continuing to tease her pebbled nipples, he began to lightly stroke her clit. He could tell from her breathy pants that she was near her own peak.

"Cum with me, Bella. I need to feel you clenching around me, babe."

With a strangled cry, she fell over the precipice, dragging Peter along with her as she contracted around him. He twitched inside her and drove into her heat, cumming with a ferocity that left him weak and trembling.

Spent, they rested in each other's arms. Peter never wanted to leave the warm sanctuary of their bed and the security and hope he'd found in Bella's arms.

Of course, reality always intruded. Too soon, Bella stretched and kissed him long and lazily. She had to get into her downtown studio. Brides needed portraits and children needed school pictures.

She rose from their nest of blankets and grabbed one of Peter's shirts from the desk chair where it had been laid the night before. She tossed him a pair of flannel pants and grinned mischievously.

"Care to join me for a shower, Mr. Whitlock?"

"You bet your sweet ass I do, Miss Swan," Peter drawled in response, tugging on the pants.

Bella laughed and took off to the bathroom with Peter in hot pursuit. It was definitely a very good morning.

* * *

"Hey, Peter?" Edward's voice rang out in the still morning air.

Alice and Jasper were meeting with the wedding coordinator at the church and then later with the coordinator at the hotel where the reception was to be held. The time had flown by and their wedding was to be held on Saturday evening. Bella was downtown at her studio. She had said something about hyper perfectionist pixies and damn school pictures as she threw her things in her truck on her way out that morning. So, that left just Peter at home.

He'd enjoyed his calm, quiet morning with a cup of coffee and the newspaper on the deck. Summer was now in full bloom in Denver and, because of its brevity, he didn't want to miss a moment of it. When he heard Edward calling him, he folded his paper and stubbed out the cigarette he had been worrying.

"Out here, Edward," he hollered in reply.

"Hey, man. Are you ready?"

Edward had asked Peter to go with him to the junkyard. The insurance appraiser was going to finish the paperwork to have the car totaled out. Once that was finished, Peter and Edward were going to go car shopping for a new car since Heidi would be going back to work in a month. Edward was looking at Volvos for her.

"Sure. Let's go," Peter replied, dropping his boot clad feet from the deck railing and tucking the half empty pack of smokes into his pocket.

"You know, lung cancer will put a damper on things for you."

Peter rolled his eyes. Edward was a vehement anti-smoker and it tore him up that two of his best friends, Peter and Jasper, refused to give it up.

"Duly noted, _Doctor_."

They decided to take Peter's truck and drove in companionable silence. Neither man was particularly chatty by nature, so the silence was comfortable between them. Eventually, they arrived at the junkyard and the insurance investigator was there waiting for them in front of the mangled car.

Peter shuddered slightly as he wondered, yet again, how Heidi had walked away from the wreck relatively unscathed. To look at it, you would assume all involved would have died. Peter thought that guardian angels must really exist for things to have worked out as they did.

It didn't go unnoticed that Edward blanched and his hands trembled as he reached for the door handle. He was obviously unnerved at the amount of damage as well.

Peter had a bad feeling about the wreck. He just couldn't shake the idea that it wasn't completely an accident. He'd kept his fears to himself, hoping this would be one of those times where his intuition wouldn't be correct. He sometimes just "knew" things. His Grandma Whitlock had said he had "the touch". Peter didn't know about all that superstitious mumbo jumbo, but he was right much more often that he was wrong.

Since moving in with Alice, Jasper, and Bella, they had taken to asking him his opinions pretty frequently and, between him and Alice, car keys and favorite pairs of jeans didn't stay lost for long. Alice had noticed his "ability", as she called it, almost immediately and had confessed that she seldom had a dream that didn't come true. It was kind of nice to know that he wasn't the only one around that had "the touch".

Peter stayed a few steps behind Edward and leaned against the bed of the truck unobtrusively while Edward and the insurance adjustor looked over some paperwork. His eyes kept traveling to the ruined rims on the car. He tried to ignore the feeling, but eventually it got the better of him.

Strolling as nonchalantly as possible, he made his way to the passenger side of the car and bent to examine the tire. Going purely on instinct, he knelt and nudged the tire out of the way. Someone had already pulled the tire off, so it was actually just propped against the car rather than attached.

"Fuck!" Peter swore under his breath.

He hated it when his weird hunches turned out to be correct. He leaned in to study the brake mechanism more carefully.

"Edward? How much do you know about cars?"

"I know the basics. Why?" Edward replied, rounding the hood of the car and squatting down beside Peter.

"Well, I'm no expert, but I think these brakes have been tampered with," Peter replied, pointing out the damage.

Edward's eyes widened as he saw what Peter was pointing out. He whipped out his phone and snapped a couple pictures before placing a call.

"Rosie? I need you to look at a picture for me. I'm sending it now…"

"It's a picture of the front passenger brakes on Heidi's car. What do you make of it?"

Edward's brows furrowed as he listened to Rosalie's reply. Rose was a car nut. She'd been elbow deep in grease since childhood. Her dad ran a performance and custom shop nearby and he'd taught Rose everything he knew when she was a kid. If there was anyone that would know what they were looking at it would be her.

"Yeah…yeah…OK…OK…I will. Peter's with me. Thanks. I love you, too, Rosie. Bring Emmett to the house with you tonight, OK?"

Before Peter could ask what she'd said, Edward was already on the line with the Denver police. He explained what they thought had happened and gave a report and the junkyard's information to the officer over the phone.

"They're going to come take a look. Rosalie is positive it's been tampered with though. She was livid on the phone. Who would do this? We don't have any enemies!"

Peter nodded in agreement, but a sick feeling was twisting in his stomach. There was something bad coming and he didn't want to know what it was.


	11. It Begins

**DISCLAIMER: Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight and all its characters. In fact, she'd most likely not approve of what I'm doing to them. This is an "M" rated story. If you're underage, please, find your entertainment elsewhere. **

**Make sure to get your "Home for the Holidays" Jasper-centric one shots in before November 15****th****. The Jasper's Darlins want your entry! For more information or to submit your entry, visit:**

**http://www(dot)fanfiction(dot)net/~homefortheholidays**

**or check out my profile page for links and more information. Show some support for the Darlins…it's our first one shot contest.**

* * *

Bella was frustrated and tired as she pulled into the garage that evening. She'd done school pictures for a preschool that morning and two bridal portraits that afternoon. The preschool had been organized chaos at best and Bella had heaved a sigh of relief as she packed up her equipment and practically ran from the building at noon. Both brides were in panic mode and nothing that Bella suggested seemed to appease them. They had finally agreed to a series of 10 shots each, ranging from traditional to modern poses, and had left reasonably happy with few tears. Bella, however, had shed quite a few tears in the back room of her studio and was not looking forward to seeing them again.

She gathered her bag and heaved a sigh as she made her way into the house. Jasper's truck was still gone and Alice's car had not moved, so she figured that only Peter was home. Her grumpy mood improved a bit at the thought of spending some more time alone with him, even if all she felt like doing was opening a bottle of wine and watching TV.

"Peter?" she called out, dropping her things in a heap on top of the washing machine.

"On the deck, babe."

She grabbed a bottle of Merlot, two glasses, and fixed a plate of cheese and crackers on her way through the kitchen. Her breath caught in her chest as she approached the sliding glass door. Peter was sitting on the deck with his boots propped on the railing. He had a book open on his lap and his reading glasses on. The sun was beginning to set and the failing light cast a warm glow on his unruly waves. He was the most ethereally beautiful thing she'd seen all day. She gently laid the armful of snacks down on the table and grabbed her camera from the fireplace hearth. Turning back, she carefully focused the frame and snapped a couple pictures. He looked too handsome to forget!

Satisfied, she returned the camera to its spot on the hearth and grabbed her goodies from the table. Peter looked up as she stepped onto the deck. His book was immediately forgotten as a smile lit up his face. She barely had time to deposit the wine & snacks on the patio table before he wrapped her securely in his arms and kissed her hello.

"Hey, sugar. I missed you today," he murmured against her hair.

Bella hummed contentedly in response and felt some of the day's tension melt away. Peter finally released her and tugged her over to sit in his lap. She snuggled up with her head under his chin as he reached around her to open and pour the wine. They sat in silence, watching the sunset, nibbling on the snacks, and reconnecting after a long day. Eventually, Bella broke the silence.

"So, how did it go with Edward today?"

"Um, it was fine. The insurance company has to wait to total out the car though, so Heidi's just going to borrow one from Rose's dad until everything is done."

"Why couldn't they take care of that today? I thought they were all set!"

Peter took a deep breath. He didn't want to alarm Bella unnecessarily, but he damn sure wasn't going to lie to her or hide anything. She'd find out soon enough anyway and he'd rather it come directly from him.

"Well, babe, there were some unexpected findings at the junkyard, so there will be some extra investigating."

"Unexpected findings? What do you mean?" Bella replied, arching an eyebrow in confusion.

"Her brakes had been tampered with," Peter replied bluntly.

Just as Peter was finishing his answer and cringing in anticipation, the doorbell rang.

"Hmmm, saved by the bell," Bella quipped with a wink.

She hopped off Peter's lap and went to the door, glancing through the peephole before opening it. Peter came up behind her as she was signing for a FedEx envelope. Bella thanked the driver and shut the door, looking curiously at the envelope. It was addressed to Bella.

Peter followed her to the kitchen where she leaned against a countertop and ripped the tab open. A smaller envelope fell out. Peter was getting a weird feeling. Bella hesitated and glanced cautiously at the envelope. Yep, Peter's spidey senses were definitely tingling now. He could practically feel the anxiety rolling off of Bella in waves, now.

Peter wanted to tell her not to open it. He wanted to snatch it out of her hands before it could hurt her. But, he did none of those things. His tongue and hands were frozen as she ripped open the envelope.

She inhaled sharply and let out a shaky laugh, holding up the contents of the envelope.

"It's our Three Days Grace tickets," she said, lifting the little white stubs so Peter could see them.

The breath Peter didn't realize he'd been holding whooshed out and he chuckled nervously. Bella met his eyes and laughed, too. That really set them off and they were clutching each other and laughing hysterically when Alice and Jasper arrived home a few minutes later.

They finally pulled themselves together and waved off Jasper and Alice's questioning looks. Jasper grabbed two more wine glasses and they all reconvened on the deck. Jasper and Alice, mostly Alice, told Peter and Bella about the meetings with the wedding coordinators. Bella described in ridiculous detail the bridezillas and preschoolers. Peter, reluctant to tame the happy mood, finally cleared his throat and filled them all in about the sabotaged brakes on Heidi's car.

Jasper, always cautious, was the first to comment.

"Do we know for sure it was sabotaged? Can't brake lines be damaged in other non-sinister ways?"

Bella and Alice both relaxed noticeably at this possible explanation, though Peter wasn't so sure.

"Yeah, Jaz, I guess so. But Edward already talked to Rosalie. She seemed pretty damn pissed about it. We're supposed to head over there in about 30 minutes. Maybe she can give us some more information. Or, ya know, Edward may have talked to the detective again."

Peter smiled ruefully as they all got up and drifted to their rooms. He'd definitely done a good job being the wet blanket on that one! He was only mildly surprised when Bella followed him downstairs instead of heading back up to her room. Truly, they spent more time in his and little by little the contents of her room were shifting into his. He sank down on the edge of the bed, worry creasing his brow, as he watched Bella rummage around for a t-shirt and jeans.

Finding what she was looking for, she turned and crossed over to wrap her arms around Peter. He rested his head against her bare belly, gently kissing the scars there, and closed his eyes. Bella pulled back and, when he looked up, she smoothed the worry from his face with her fingertips.

"Peter, we've been through bad before in this gang. We'll be OK, you'll see…"

"Bella, whatever is going on here, I am with you this time. Nothing is going to hurt you, I swear it!"

She nodded in response and stroked his cheek lovingly before tugging on her clothes. She stepped across the hallway to finish getting ready and Peter made his way back upstairs. He needed a quick smoke before they left, since Edward would have a kitty if they smoked over there.

As he stepped onto the darkened deck, pain exploded in his skull and he knew nothing else.

* * *

Consciousness returned with a vengeance and Peter groaned and tried to sit up.

"Relax, Peter," Jasper commanded, holding his shoulders down.

Peter slumped back down against the sofa cushions and closed his eyes against the bright living room lights. A moment later, his eyes snapped open again. He panicked and tried to sit up again, groaned and flopping back down when the room lurched in a sickening spin.

"Oh fuck…" Peter groaned.

He heard Jasper chuckle again from nearby. Peter wanted to growl at him for laughing, but was pretty sure he was going to puke if he tried, so he stayed very still and waited for the spinning to finish.

"Where's Bella? Is she OK?"

"Well, she and Edward are talking to the police in the kitchen right now. If you promise to stay put, I'll go get her for you."

Jasper disappeared and Peter's groggy mind drifted. Minutes passed, maybe hours…Peter couldn't tell, but eventually he felt Bella's gentle touch. He pried his eyes open and her worried gaze met his.

"Hey," she whispered.

Peter gave her a weak smile in return, simply glad she seemed alright. Bella slid down to sit on the sofa, laying Peter's head on her lap. He let his mind drift as her fingers ran through his hair. His head was throbbing and it was hard to focus on anything else. Just as he was drifting to sleep again, Edward came into the room.

"Peter, do you want to go to the hospital? You probably have a concussion."

"Can't you just check me out?" Peter asked quietly, already cringing internally at the thought of a hospital visit.

Edward nodded his agreement and helped Peter sit up on the couch.

"Just sit for a minute, Peter. I'll be right back with my bag."

The room was still a little wobbly, or maybe it was just in his head, so Peter sat quietly with Bella's arms around him and Jasper leaning against the wall with an intensely worried look on his face.

Edward reappeared a moment later with his bag and proceeded to do a fairly thorough exam.

"You do have a mild concussion, but I think you'll survive. I can't give you any pain medication because you don't need to sleep right now. I'll leave something for you when we leave and you can take it in a few hours, OK?"

"Yeah, sounds good. Thanks, Edward."

"You're welcome, Peter. Listen, I expect you to call me or go directly to the ED if anything changes or you start vomiting. Concussions can be tricky and I only let you stay because I know Bella, Jasper, and Alice will be all over your ass tonight. Don't screw around with this."

Edward laid his hand on Peter's shoulder and squeezed lightly. Peter was touched by the gesture and his friend's words. It was still strange to him to feel such a connection with people he had known such a short time, especially after two years of self-imposed isolation.

"I will, Edward. Thanks again," Peter replied as Edward drifted back out of the room.

Their attention was diverted as a throat was cleared from the doorway. They looked over to see who it was.

"Good evening, Mr. Whitlock. I'm Det. Alec Barnes with the Denver police. I need to talk with you for a few minutes and get your statement. Is now a good time?"

"It's fine, Det. Barnes. I'm not sure how much information I can give you though."

"No problem, Mr. Whitlock. Why don't you start at the beginning? Is it OK if I record this?" Alec asked, holding up a small digital recorder and hitting a button when Peter nodded.

"Alright. Well, we were getting ready to leave and go to Edward and Heidi's to meet up for the evening with them, Rosalie and Emmett…"

Alec interrupted, gesturing at the recorder, "Edward, Heidi, Rosalie, and Emmett?"

"Um, yeah, Dr. Edward Cullen and his wife, Heidi Parker-Cullen, Rosalie Hale and Emmett McCarty. They're close friends and we planned to go and eat dinner and watch a couple DVDs."

Alec nodded and Peter continued.

"Anyway, Bella was finishing up in the bathroom, so I came upstairs to grab a smoke before we left. As soon as I stepped out onto the deck, somebody cracked me over the head from behind. I never even saw it coming. I don't remember anything else until I woke up on the couch."

"So, you don't know anything about the pictures that were left on the deck by your head for Ms. Swan?"

Peter's eyes widened and he whipped his head around to look at Bella. The motion caused him to clutch his head in agony and moan. In his panic to see if she was OK with this information, he'd forgotten that motion and his head were not friends at the moment.

Instantly, Bella was stroking his hair reassuringly. Her touch helped ground him until the damn room stopped lurching again.

"Shhh, baby…It's OK. I'm tougher than I look…just take it easy."

After a couple moments, Peter regained his composure and gratefully accepted the ice pack that Jasper was holding at the nape of his neck.

"No, I'm sorry, Detective. I must have already been unconscious."

Edward gave the detective a pointed look from the kitchen doorway.

"Detective Barnes, I think that's enough for tonight. Mr. Whitlock needs to rest and you've already taken our statements."

Alec nodded and smiled apologetically at Bella, Jasper, and Peter.

"Thank you, Mr. Whitlock. We'll be in touch soon," he said, turning and leaving the room.

Edward gave Peter, Bella, and Jasper a nod. They heard Heidi call him from the kitchen. He turned and headed back to her.

Alice danced into the room a few moments later with a bottle of water and some Advil.

She handed them to Peter. Her eyes were slightly bloodshot and her hands trembled slightly. She looked like hell. The night's events were obviously taking a toll on her, bringing back bad memories.

"Edward says you can't have any of the good drugs yet, but the Advil should take the edge off." She smiled weakly before sinking down onto Jasper's lap.

Jasper kissed her gently and wrapped the arm not on ice pack duty around her.

"Bella? I need to borrow you for a second, honey," Emmett called, his normally exuberant voice somewhat subdued for which Peter was eternally grateful.

Just as Bella rose to go to him, they heard Rosalie in the mudroom. She was cursing a blue streak and even Peter, with his foul mouthed ways, was slightly chagrined.

Emmett and Bella turned to look over their shoulders at the commotion and Rosalie, noticing all eyes on her, toned it down a bit.

"Rosie?" Emmett asked.

Rosalie tossed her phone at Emmett who caught it effortlessly.

"Look at those pictures, Em. I don't know what the fuck is going on here, but the first two are Heidi's brakes and the second two are Alice's."

Jasper growled and cursed as Emmett looked quickly before tossing the phone to him.

He held the phone so Peter could see also. Heidi's brake line was completely severed. The cut was smooth until about ¾ of the way through. Then, it ripped the rest of the way. Someone had been very careful in their planning.

Jasper flipped to the second set of pictures and cursed again as they saw Alice's brake line. There was a nearly identical cut. However, there was no ripping yet. Apparently, since Alice had been running errands with Jasper and then out of town before that, the brakes had not been used and had not worn through.

Bella had gone white as a ghost and swayed on her feet before Emmett steadied her.

"Easy, Bells. I got you."

"Guys," Peter murmured, "What were the pictures from the deck of?"

No one answered immediately, still shocked at what Rosalie had discovered.

"Guys," Peter asked, stronger this time, "What the fuck were the pictures from the deck of?"

Edward appeared next to Rosalie, with his arm wrapped tightly around Heidi.

"They were of Heidi's car wrapped around the telephone pole before the ambulance arrived and Alice's car sitting in the driveway. There was also a picture of you, Peter," he replied.

"Fuck! What the fuck is going on?" Peter growled from between clenched teeth.

Bella crossed back over to sink down on Peter's side and stroked his back gently, feeling his shuddering muscles.

She addressed the group quietly, "I think I need to call Jake and Felix. We need to make sure that James is still rotting in his cell."

Everyone nodded solemnly in agreement. Peter fucking hated being right all the damn time. He'd known something was coming.


	12. Revelations

**Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight and all its characters. I'm just playing with them.** **Remember the Jasper's Darlins "Home for the Holidays" contest? Well, voting begins on 20 November. Visit the Home for the Holidays profile and vote via poll. There were some very...erm...stimulating entries. **

**http(colon)//www(dot)fanfiction(dot)net/~homefortheholidays  
**

* * *

_**Revelations**_

* * *

Peter realized two things simultaneously the next morning; he had slept all night and it felt like he had the world's worst hangover. He lay very still in the bed, trying to process these two realizations without either vomiting or whimpering. It figured that all it would take to foil his habitual insomnia was head trauma and whatever pharmacological wonders Edward had left in the kitchen for him. About the time that snarky thought passed through his decidedly unhappy brain, he became aware of what exactly had woken him. It was impossibly loud to his traumatized head and he must have lost his battle against whimpering, because he heard Bella mutter something about godforsaken alarm clocks before blessed silence descended once again and he felt her cool, soft hands caressing his back comfortingly.

"Sorry, baby. I was in the bathroom when it went off," she murmured apologetically, "Go back to sleep, Peter; I'm going to the airport to get Jake and Felix, but Jas and Alice are here."

He felt her soft lips brush his shoulder and then sleep claimed him again.

* * *

The next time he woke, the room was silent and still. He took a quick inventory of his body and realized that he felt quite a bit better. The throbbing pain and nausea was still there, but not nearly as bad. He cracked one eye open cautiously and saw that he was in Bella's bedroom upstairs. It was dimly lit with a nightlight and the curtains had been pulled shut to keep out the sun. He lay a few more minutes and then tentatively sat up on the edge of the mattress. The room wobbled a bit, but quickly steadied. After a few moments more, Peter stood to his feet and was pleased that the room cooperated.

He wanted three things, a hot shower, coffee, and Bella; preferably, in that order. He shuffled his way towards the small attached bathroom. Bella had laid a towel, rag, and change of clothes on the counter for him.

_She's so good to me_, Peter thought with a smile.

The hot spray coursed over his body and he felt his tense battered muscles begin to relax. Once the water began to cool, he quickly finished up and pulled on the well-worn jeans and t-shirt Bella had left him. He ran his fingers through his hair and winced as they ran over the knot at the nape of his neck. Grabbing his toothbrush from the cabinet over the sink, he quickly completed his morning routine, deciding to skip shaving. His hair was blond, so other than being a bit stubbly, he looked presentable.

As he opened the bedroom door, he could hear voices downstairs. Obviously, the whole gang was over and they were earnestly discussing something. He descended the stairs and rounded the corner into the living room. As he did, the conversation stalled as nine pairs of eyes turned toward him.

"Mornin', ya'll," Peter drawled, his accent heavy in his self-consciousness, as he crossed over and wrapped his arms around Bella's shoulders before kissing the crown of her head, "Did I miss anythin' important?"

That seemed to break the spell and the sudden tension dissipated.

"Jake Black," the tall dark young man sitting next to Bella rumbled in a surprisingly deep voice, sticking out his hand to Peter.

"Nice to meet you, Jake. I'm Peter Whitlock," Peter replied, shaking his hand.

He turned to the other stranger in the room expectantly.

"Hi, Peter. I'm Felix Cologero. Jake's my partner with the Washington State Police."

Peter nodded in response.

"I'm gonna grab a cup of coffee and then ya'll are gonna fill me in, OK?" Peter said, waiting for confirmation before heading to the kitchen.

He noticed Bella shoot Edward a look before he turned his back, but he ignored it. It was actually kind of nice to have someone care enough about him to be worried. He'd talk with her later about it; try to put her mind at ease.

"How are you feeling, Peter?"

Edward's soft voice behind him was a not wholly unwelcome intrusion. Peter appreciated his friends' concern, even if it was at times stifling after going it alone for the last couple years.

Peter refilled the coffee maker, set the fresh pot to brewing, and moved over to the bread box. He briefly wished for Aunt Carrie's homemade biscuits and gravy – now, that was cure-what-ails- you food – but settled for a Yankee doughnut. Once his bagel was toasting, he turned to face Edward.

"I feel like hell, but I'm doing fine, Edward. I'm worried about Bella, though. She seems so calm…I thought she'd be more shaken up."

Edward sighed and leaned against the countertop opposite of Peter. His green eyes were piercing as he seemed to deliberate briefly before meeting Peter's gaze.

"Peter, I know she told you about what happened. But, as much as you are here for her now, you can't really understand how it was for her then. The Bella you know isn't the same Bella.

"James didn't just hurt her, Peter. He killed her. She died inside, but she rose from the ashes of that life and made a decision. She will never be a victim again. She's scared but, and I imagine it will be worse at night when she has nothing but time to think, she's going to show that on her terms.

"Did she ever tell you about her father's funeral?"

Edward paused and Peter shook his head. Bella had not talked much about that time in her life and Peter hadn't pushed her.

"She made a promise as she stood over his grave, Peter. She promised him that she would live life on her own terms and she promised him that if it ever came down to her and James again, that he would not ever hurt anyone she loved again.

"I don't know how James is doing this, since Felix and Jake are sure he's still locked up tight, but they've tapped into the one thing that Bella won't accept. She will not let any of us get hurt because of her or his sick obsession with her.

"When Jasper found you on the deck last night, Bella lost it…" Edward paused as Jasper cleared his throat from the doorway.

Peter and Edward looked at him. Peter must have looked shell-shocked by the revelations from Edward.

"Peter, she was so angry that I could almost feel it rolling off of her in waves. It was like nothing I have ever experienced. She loves you, Peter. She may be afraid later, but right now, she's equal parts pissed off and concerned. She's fucking strong, man," Jasper confirmed, his drawl more pronounced by the emotion in his voice.

Peter pondered what had been said as silence fell between the three men. There was one certainty. Peter loved Bella and she loved him, too. Whatever else happened in the coming days, they would make a stand together. She _was_ strong, but so was he. He was going to make sure she knew exactly where he stood in this mess. Even the strongest person needed someone to be their rock. Peter would be hers. Nothing would keep him from taking care of his girl. Bella was his girl and there was no doubt in his mind that he was every bit as much hers.

Jasper, sensing the enormity of Peter's thoughts, silently handed him the crunchy peanut butter from the pantry and, with a nod, exited back to the living room.

Edward had not moved and was gazing at Peter with an appraising look, almost as if he could see into Peter's thoughts. He must have found what he was looking for because, after a few moments, his lips curled into a crooked smile and Peter knew the final hurdle for acceptance as Bella's lover had been crossed.

"Don't forget what I said about the ED, Peter, and make sure to take it easy for a few days."

Edward squeezed his shoulder as he, too, went back to the living room. Peter remained leaning against the countertop for a few more moments, gathering his thoughts, before he followed him, coffee and peanut butter bagel in hand.

* * *

Bella was sitting in the oversized chair by the sliding door to the deck. She shot a worried glance at Peter as he came into the room. It was obvious that she was shaken by his injury and he probably looked like hell, which surely didn't help. Peter flashed the best smile he could manage at her and was pleased when the tension in her shoulders eased.

"Room for one more, sugar?" he asked quietly.

Bella fucking beamed at him and hopped off the chair, settling between his legs once he sat. They would need to have a private discussion soon. It was obvious that Bella was waiting for him to run screaming away from her and that just wasn't going to fucking happen. He could no more leave her than stop breathing. She was his life now and Peter didn't make that kind of commitment lightly. For now, he just stroked her long mahogany curls and handed her half the bagel. If he knew her at all, she'd been so busy taking care of everyone else that she probably hadn't eaten herself. She moaned softly when she bit into it. Peter had to think of dead puppies and Aunt Carrie in a bikini for a few minutes after that, but there would always be time to elicit that sweet sound again later.

Felix and Jake were out on the deck talking animatedly into cell phones, but everyone else was sitting in silence, the various couples obviously comforting each other. Edward and Heidi sat curled up on one end of the couch. Heidi's eyes were closed as Edward stroked her slightly rounded belly softly with his chin on her shoulder. Emmett and Rosalie were more stoic, but clung together. Emmett had Rosalie wrapped in his massive arms and a fiercely protective look on his face. For the first time, Peter could see the ferocious adversary in the gentle giant that was quickly becoming like a brother to him.

As he turned his gaze to his cousin and Alice, Alice turned an alarming shade of green and bolted from the room like an Olympic sprinter. Jasper made to go after her, concern obvious on his face, but Bella shook her head gently at him and detangled herself from Peter's arms. With a soft kiss to his cheek, she dropped a reassuring hand on Jasper's shoulder before following in the direction of Alice's hasty departure. Peter caught Heidi and Rosalie give each other a knowing look and it was like a light bulb clicked on over his head. He flicked his eyes over to Jasper again. His cousin looked utterly confused by Alice's sudden departure and deep concern shadowed his blue-gray eyes. Did he really have no idea? Rosalie caught Peter's eye and shook her head minutely, confirming his suspicion that Jasper was completely in the dark. Why wouldn't Alice have told him yet? Unless, she had just found out…it could be that she hadn't known until very recently. With all the recent upheaval and wedding related stress, she may have just realized herself.

Bella appeared at that moment in the doorway of the living room again.

"Jas, Alice wants to see you," Bella murmured with a smile.

Jasper bolted out of the room before Bella could even get the sentence completely out. Peter watched with a small bittersweet smile on his face, a hint of sadness in his eyes. Bella noticed and snuggled close into his chest, offering what comfort she could. She wished fervently in that moment that she could give him the gift that Alice was now telling Jasper about.

Jake and Felix walked into the room from the deck a few moments later. They were headed back to their hotel. Tomorrow, they would meet with the Denver Police and try to figure out what their next step should be. Hugs and handshakes were given all around and the pair departed.

Peter caught Bella's eye and pantomimed smoking before stepping out onto the deck. He needed a few minute to himself. He fully intended to talk to Bella once everyone got settled and he needed to pull his thoughts together. It was hard with his head pounding, but he didn't want to take any more medication. He needed a clear head for this discussion. He had to make her understand that he was in this for the long haul. He felt her presence before she spoke.

"Peter, let's go for a drive. We need to talk," Bella murmured.

Peter took a deep breath, steeling himself for the conversation, and nodded. He took her hand and led her toward the garage.


	13. Hurt

**DISCLAIMER: Stephenie Meyer owns all things Twilight. I own nothing, nada, zilch!**

* * *

Previously on Gateway to the Rockies:

_He fully intended to talk to Bella once everyone got settled and he needed to pull his thoughts together. It was hard with his head pounding, but he didn't want to take any more medication. He needed a clear head for this discussion. He had to make her understand that he was in this for the long haul. He felt her presence before she spoke._

"_Peter, let's go for a drive. We need to talk," Bella murmured._

_Peter took a deep breath, steeling himself for the conversation, and nodded. He took her hand and led her toward the garage._

* * *

Peter headed towards his truck, but Bella stopped him.

"Not today, Peter. I'll drive."

For the first time, the silence between them was tense and uncomfortable as they drove through the Denver streets. Bella pulled into a parking space at their jogging park and got out of the truck. She stood at the grill and looked out over the quiet paths. Peter watched her for a moment. He had a bad feeling about this; so, with a heavy heart, he climbed out of the truck to join her.

He reached for her hand as he met her in front of the truck, but she shrugged away from him slightly. The action and space hurt, but Peter steeled himself for whatever was coming.

"Let's walk," Bella murmured still looking out over the paths and refusing to meet his eyes.

So, they walked, a gulf between them. Peter's arms itched to hold her. He wanted to kiss her until she stopped this foolishness, kiss her until she could do nothing but melt against him. They walked in silence, heavy and oppressive. Finally, Bella made her way to a bench and sat. Peter followed her.

"Bella…" Peter started, needing to break the awkwardness between them.

"No, Peter. Please. I need to do this on my terms."

Peter's heart clenched in his chest at her cold tone. This was not the warm, sensitive woman he loved. This was a stranger.

Bella began to speak, still averting her eyes. She stared unflinchingly out across the wooded path. Her posture was rigid and her fingers were clenched around the edge of the park bench.

"I wish I knew how to do this better. I…I don't want to hurt you, Peter, but this has gone on too long. You need to get away from me. I can't let this continue…" her voice trailed off.

Peter angled his body toward her. He wanted to gather her in his arms and never let go, but everything about her body language screamed "get away".

"Bella, I don't understand. What are you saying?" he asked, but he knew, deep down he felt her letting him go.

"I'm saying that this," she gestured between them, "isn't good for me…"

Peter sat in silence, trying to figure out what he could say. He'd been prepared for her to be afraid, for tears or panic, but this…this controlled iciness was unforeseen. He didn't know what to say. Had he misjudged so much what he meant to her? Had the love been one-sided? Had he just been there to scratch an itch?

"I…I don't understand, Bella. If..if this is about the attack and pictures, baby, that's nothing…"

Bella laughed, a harsh, brittle bark.

"This isn't about that! Though it made my final decision easier," Bella paused, looking at him for the first time.

"You're not good enough for me, Peter. I deserve more than a broken man," she said, her voice harsh and her gaze steady.

Peter felt his heart break apart at her words. Somewhere deep inside he knew this wasn't true. He knew she loved him, could feel what this was costing her to say. None of that mattered, though. His brain shut down and he couldn't respond correctly.

"You…don't love…me?" he croaked, ashamed of the hitch in his voice.

He saw something flash in her eyes for a moment, quickly extinguished, before the mask was firmly in place on her face again.

"No, Peter. I lied to you and it was wrong. I can't be with you anymore."

Peter watched her lips form the words and his ears heard them, but his heart was unable to accept it. His heart was broken, it beat only for her and she didn't want it anymore. Everything fell away as pain blossomed in his chest.

"Peter?...Peter, breathe. Don't do this!" Bella said, reaching toward him.

He shrank away from her touch. He wanted to run, to get away from her, from this pain. He could hear his ragged breathing. He was dimly aware that he had stood from the bench and was backing away from her. Through the haze of his panic attack, he saw her pull her phone from her pocket and type a text hastily, before standing and taking a step toward him.

"Get away from me. Don't fucking touch me," he growled, unable to control his reactions with the panic and pain rolling through his veins.

She recoiled at his tone and Peter snapped. He turned and he ran. He didn't look back and he didn't stop. He ran the trail that they so often had jogged together. When he reached the bend in the path, he took the small path to the right and ran some more. Eventually, exhausted, he sank down to the ground. He rested his chin on his knees and tried to calm himself. His entire body was shaking and he couldn't think, his thoughts already addled from his concussion. Gradually, his breathing returned to normal and he just felt numb.

He'd been prepared for her to try to protect him. He'd expected her to be afraid. The fact that he'd just been a fling never even crossed his mind. He'd loved her almost from the moment he'd seen her and he'd trusted that she meant it when she'd returned the sentiment. She said he wasn't good enough for her and that she deserved better than him. Peter couldn't argue with that. It was true. He _was_ broken and she _did_ deserve someone without so much baggage.

He didn't notice when the sun began to set. The temperature dropped and he shivered in his long-sleeved t-shirt. The cool night air didn't make an impression on his numb body. He just sat and stared, her words playing over and over in his head.

He didn't move when someone crept up on him. It didn't matter who it was. Bella didn't want him anymore. Nothing mattered.

He heard the man yell and smelled sweet perfume as the woman wrapped her arm around him.

"We've got him. Rosie and I'll get him home…no, you get her the hell out of there. She's done enough! What the hell did she say to him? He's a fucking mess!"

"Come on, Peter. Stand up, honey. Let's get you to the car and warmed up," the woman whispered in his ear and her voice was familiar.

Rosalie. Her voice broke through the haze and Peter let her help him stand up. He was conscious of her back and didn't lean on her too much. She wrapped her arm around his waist and they shuffled along together.

Eventually, they made it to her shiny red BMW. As she settled him into the car, his eyes met hers.

"She doesn't love me. I'm not good enough," he whispered.

Rosalie's lips tightened into a harsh line. She said something, but it didn't penetrate the haze. Emmett started the car and they began to drive. Peter gazed out the window as they drove and was surprised when they pulled up at a small diner instead of going back to the house.

He was finally coming back to himself as Rosalie, again, helped him out of the car. The three friends were silent as they sat at a table and ordered coffee. Peter wrapped his hands around the cup and stared into it.

Emmett cleared his throat and Rosalie draped her arm around his shoulders.

"Peter, what the hell happened?" Emmett asked, his normally boisterous voiced somewhat subdued.

"She broke up with me. She said I was too broken and that she didn't love me. She said I wasn't good enough for her," Peter replied in a monotone, never taking his eyes from the coffee in his mug.

They all sat in silence after his revelation, the only sounds the bustling noise of the busy diner.

"Bullshit!" Emmett exclaimed, no longer subdued, "Bullshit, Peter! She fucking loves you, man. She's protecting you. Damn, she really knew what buttons to push, didn't she?"

Peter looked up, startled by his outburst.

Rosalie squeezed his shoulders and gently turned his face to meet her gaze.

"What Emmett is so eloquently saying is that she lied to you, Peter. She does love you. This is her sad and misguided attempt to keep you safe from James or whoever the hell is targeting us."

Peter's heart flinched against the hope they were offering. If what they said was true, then it wasn't that she didn't love him, it was that she loved him so much she was willing to sacrifice her own happiness to keep him safe. How had he not realized that? He'd let his own insecurities cloud his ability to see what she was doing.

Suddenly, he couldn't sit there any longer. He had to get to her. He had to convince her that they would get through this together. He had to touch her and feel her body against his.

Emmett met his wild eyes and nodded, tossing money onto the tabletop as they practically ran back to the car.

Peter's leg bounced nervously the entire ten minutes it took to get from the diner to the house. Emmett and Rosalie dropped him at the front door and left. Peter could hear an argument inside the house as he stepped through the doorway.

"What the fuck, Bella? What did you do to him? Goddamn, he's already fucking broken!" Jasper hissed, his voice deadly calm, his anger dangerous like a snake coiled to strike.

"How could you do this to Peter, Bella? I've known you for so long! It's like all of the sudden you're a stranger!" Alice yelled, her voice shaking with anger.

Bella stood in front of them, her already pale skin positively pasty as her two best friends berated her.

Jasper began to pace, muttering under his breath. Alice's chest was heaving under the adrenaline rush from her temper.

Silence fell as Peter stepped through the doorway. Jasper froze in his tracks and Alice turned to face him.

"Get out," Peter croaked.

Jasper hesitated, uneasy about leaving him and obviously in full out protection mode. Alice took his arm and pulled gently. He paused next to Peter in the doorway.

"It's OK, Jasper. I'm fine. Get out, now," Peter murmured.

Bella looked like she was about to drop. Peter didn't move toward her.

"Bella, sit down, honey, before you fall down."

Bella sank down onto the sofa, her face shell-shocked.

Peter walked cautiously toward her and dropped down to his knees in front of her, careful not to touch her yet.

"Bella, I know what you're doing," he whispered gently, "I won't let you."

"I know you are trying to protect me, but, baby, this isn't the right way to handle this. Bella, I love you! Nothing you say is going to change that, no matter how hurtful. Bella, I know you're lying to me. I know you love me, too. I've felt it. I've felt your love. We can get through this, baby. Don't shut me out!"

Tears rolled down Bella's cheeks. Peter wanted to hold her…God, he wanted to comfort her, but he wouldn't yet. He had to wait.

"Peter…please…" Bella whispered.

"Please what, baby? What do you need?" Peter whispered back, aching to hold her but knowing Bella had to make the first move here.

"I'm so sorry, Peter…so sorry. I…I can't…let them… hurt you," Bella sobbed.

Peter couldn't stand to see her is so much pain; it made his so much worse.

He reached out and gently tilted her head up.

"Bella, no one…_no one_…is going to hurt me! No one can do that but _you_. Baby, don't do this. Please, Bella, I need you!"

With a sob, she launched herself into his arms. They clung together, both sobbing. Peter lifted her gently in his arms and carried her downstairs to his room. He needed to show her his love.

Peter tentatively lifted the edge of her shirt. Bella nodded and they gently undressed each other. They took their time caressing well loved skin and reassuring each other that they would get through this. Peter laid her down in the nest of soft cotton and warm blankets.

"I love you so much, Bella. Please, keep me…I need you, always. You give me a reason to live again," Peter murmured, letting the tears come, for once not ashamed at being vulnerable.

Bella's own tears mixed with his as she begged him to forgive her.

"I'm so sorry for hurting you, Peter. I've ruined everything," she sobbed, slinging tightly to him, as if to let go would mean his disappearance.

"No, Bella. Nothing is ruined, I love you and I'm here, but, baby…you can't do this to me again. You can't lie to me about how you feel. No more lies, Bella. Whatever happens from now on, you have to be honest with me. If you're scared, it's okay…I'll _always_ take care of you and you'll do the same for me."

"I promise, Peter. I will never lie to you again," she sighed, as his lips moved to caress her neck, "Please, Peter, make love to me. I need to feel you."

"Of course, baby. Everything I am is yours, my heart, my body, my soul," he replied, sinking into her wet warmth.

They rocked together slowly, pushing each other to the edge. Bella's hands roamed over Peter's lean muscular form, her nails lightly scratching at his back. Eventually, they were both overcome and cried out against each other as they reached their climaxes.

Peter pulled the blankets up and encircled Bella in his strong, loving arms. This was his home; wherever Bella was, he was at home. They slipped into sleep, knowing that tomorrow would mean explanations, but ready to stand united for whatever was to come.


	14. Putting Things Right

**DISCLAIMER: Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight and all its characters. Bet you thought I'd abandoned this story...I have no excuse really except that human Peter just hasn't been speaking to me. I'll update again soon as the next chapter is already halfway written! Thanks for sticking with me, now on to the chapter!**

* * *

Peter held Bella in his arms as she slept. He couldn't seem to turn off his brain long enough to sleep himself, but watching her rest, breathing in her scent, and soaking up her warmth helped to calm him more than any amount of sleep ever had.

Things were far from fixed between them and Peter was worried. He loved Bella beyond all reason and he couldn't bear to lose her. They had to get things worked out between them before they could weather the storm that was currently facing them. Peter was a simple man, but he was far from stupid.

As dawn began to lighten the dark vista outside the bedroom windows, he made a decision. He would not give up on his love. With that in mind, he gently shifted Bella to lie against the pillows and smoothed back her mahogany locks when she whimpered in her sleep. The moment she settled again, he stood from the bed, tugged on a pair of well worn flannel pants, and quietly booted up his laptop.

An hour later, his plan was in motion and he checked on Bella to see that she was still sleeping. They would need to have a very serious discussion when she woke up. He intended to make her understand who he was and what his intentions with her were and he expected her to share the same information with him.

She looked so peaceful lying in his bed, curled around his pillow, that he couldn't wake her, so he decided to make some breakfast and bring back downstairs as a peace offering. He stifled a yawn as he quietly shut the bedroom door behind himself and padded slowly up the stairs to the kitchen.

Dawn hadn't quite broken yet and the kitchen was still cool and dark. The only light came from the hood over the stove. He crossed over to the sink and quickly ran water into the coffeepot and set it brewing. While he waited for it to finish, he scanned the contents of the refrigerator and cupboards.

Arranging his ingredients on the center island, he paused to pour his first cup of coffee. He gazed out over the sleeping neighborhood as he wrapped his hands around the mug, sipping slowly and trying to organize his thoughts.

"Peter?" Alice asked softly, wrapping her tiny arm around his waist, "Are you okay?"

He looked down and met her eyes. She was looking back at him and her emerald green eyes were shadowed with concern. He felt a rush of fierce love and protectiveness for the young woman who had captured Jasper's heart. She looked tired and was paler than normal. He idly wondered if the morning sickness was bad for her.

"I will be, Ali," he replied softly, hoping to convince himself as much as her.

Alice frowned lightly at his tone, but didn't call him on his answer. Instead, she tugged at his waist and gestured towards the ingredients on the island.

"Can I help?"

Peter allowed her to pull him away from the window and over to the countertop. He pulled out one of the stools for her to sit on, since she looked a bit shaky, and nodded in reply.

"Thanks, Ali. You know I love you, right?" he said, dropping a kiss on her cheek as she settled on the stool and they began to chop vegetables in companionable silence.

Alice didn't answer but instead studied the peppers she was studiously cleaning and chopping. Peter didn't rush her to answer, knowing that Alice would say her piece when she had it worked out in her own head.

They had finished chopping the vegetables and were adding them to the heated skillet to sauté when she finally spoke.

"What she did to you was wrong, Peter. I'm so angry with her!" she fumed, speaking softly so as not to wake Jasper or Bella, "She hurt you and you didn't deserve that."

When she paused to breathe, Peter broke in.

"Alice, I appreciate that. You know that I love you and Jas, but I love Bella, too, and I don't want you to be angry with her over this," Peter said firmly, pausing to take a deep breath before continuing, "Bella and I have a lot to work out between us and we will work it out. She needs to know that she can count on you and Jas to help us through this, okay? I don't want this to be an issue between us."

Peter needed to make sure that Alice understood what he needed from her and Jasper. He needed their support without judgment and he was a little angry at the way they had attacked Bella the night before. She may have deserved it for what she'd done, but Peter loved her too much to not defend her.

Alice laid her hand over his and squeezed.

"Okay, Peter. I understand and I'm sorry. I'll talk to Bella later and make sure she knows, too. Jasper and I love you both, but we were angry that she'd hurt you."

Peter added the crumbled sausage to the now tender vegetables and tossed them in the skillet as they resumed a more comfortable silence. Alice grabbed sour cream, salsa, and shredded cheese from the refrigerator and pulled the flour tortillas out of the microwave. Wrapping them in foil, she turned back to Peter with a smile.

"Do you want Jasper and I to make ourselves scarce today?"

"Yeah Ali, that would be great. When Bella wakes up, we have some talking to do and then I hope she'll go to the cabin with me for the rest of the week. Don't worry, though, sweetheart. We'll be home in time for the wedding rehearsal on Friday."

Alice nodded and began to scramble the eggs. Just as she finished, Jasper padded into the kitchen, looking sleepy and disheveled. He crossed the kitchen and wrapped Alice up in his arms. Peter quietly watched them together.

"I missed you in the bed," Jasper murmured, lifting Alice to the countertop and nuzzling his head into the crook of her shoulder.

Jasper's hands settled at Alice's tiny waist and his thumbs gently stroked her belly.

"Is the peanut makin' you sick this mornin', darlin'?"

Alice gently ran her fingers through Jasper's unruly waves and smiled down at the top of his head.

"A little, babe, but we're fine," she reassured gently.

Peter hated to interrupt their moment, so he quietly began assembling the breakfast burritos for himself and Bella, leaving the rest for Jasper and Alice. He grabbed a couple mugs of coffee and quietly slipped back downstairs. Alice would talk to Jasper about Bella and him, so he could leave them be for the moment.

He juggled his supplies as he opened the bedroom door. A weak ray of sunshine was streaming through the curtained window and Bella had burrowed further under the blankets. Setting the coffee and plate of burritos on the nightstand, Peter slipped back into the bed, content to snuggle with her a few moments before waking her.

She immediately sighed his name as he wrapped his arms around her again and Peter's heart ached. He loved her so much – it just wasn't an option for him to live without her anymore.

Pressing slow lazy kisses along the bare skin of her shoulders and neck, he whispered,

"Wake up, sugar."

Several kisses and caresses later, she opened her beautiful brown eyes and smiled as she kissed him on the chin.

"Morning, honey…have you been up long?"

Peter nodded and slid up against the headboard, turning to grab her coffee. Bella took it from him after pulling on his discarded t-shirt from the night before. Seeing her in his clothing ignited something primal in Peter. He was not a particularly possessive man, but sitting in bed with his lover while she wore his clothing brought out a protective feeling in him; a feeling that he never remembered having before. Something about Bella called to him in a way completely different from what he had felt with Charlotte. It wasn't a greater love, just a different one; strong and true in its differences, but exciting for exactly the same reasons.

They cuddled in the bed, feeding each other bites of burrito, touching, kissing, and reconnecting for the next hour before they had to come back to reality and address the previous night.

Setting aside the now empty mugs and plate, Bella took Peter's hand between both of hers. Her eyes met his and were already swimming with unshed tears held barely a bay.

"Peter," she began, her voice cracking and husky, "I am so sorry for yesterday. I'm not even sure if I can explain why I did that, but I…" she trailed off, the first tears slipping down her cheeks.

Her eyes dropped to their conjoined hands and she continued very softly.

"I love you so much, Peter, but in my life, I have never been able to keep what I loved. Everyone and everything was ripped away from me by James."

She looked up again; the tears were gone, replaced by a burning anger, a ferocity that betrayed her strength.

"I will not let James or anyone else hurt you, Peter! I wouldn't be able to live with myself if you were hurt or…killed…" her voice broke slightly on the word, so she cleared her throat and continued, "because of me. I would rather be alone for the rest of my life and have the memory of our love, than live with the pain of knowing I killed you. I'm so sorry for hurting you," she finished with a whisper, a single tear leaked from her eye and trailed down her cheek.

That tear broke Peter's heart. He knew she was sorry and that she loved him. He knew that she was trying in her own misguided way to protect him, but he also knew that if he had to try to live without her, he wouldn't be able to survive. He would exist without her but not live. She had brought him back to life with her love.

He pulled her tightly to his chest and wrapped her petite frame in his arms. Her body shuddered against him as she sobbed brokenly. He just held her, murmuring his love in her ear and rubbing soothing circles on her back. Gradually, her sobs tapered off and she tilted her head up to look at him. The moment she did, he kissed her gently. This was not a kiss of passion or lust; it was a kiss born of deep and abiding love. It was a promise – of forgiveness, love, support. Everything that Peter felt for Bella in that moment was poured into that kiss.

Peter finally broke away from her and snuggled her against his chest again, her head fitting perfectly under his chin. He was sure she wouldn't leave him again and now it was time to move forward and reconnect without all this pain.

He smoothed his fingers through her hair and tugged the ends lightly, calming them both. He hadn't spoken, choosing instead to reassure her of his love physically. Bella needed his actions more than his words and he wanted to give whatever she needed, but now he needed something in return. He needed her; time to be with only her and soak up her presence.

Still stroking her hair as it tumbled down her back in messy waves, he broke the silence.

"Bella, go away with me for awhile."

She looked up at him and opened her mouth to reply.

"But, the wedding is…"

Peter interrupted. "I know and we'll be back in plenty of time. I already talked to Alice. It's fine and I need a few days away with you."

She nodded in response and settled back against his chest, her ear pressed over his heart.

"Where?" she murmured.

Peter began tracing circles into the soft skin of her hips with his thumbs.

"I own a cabin in Vail. It's the off season, so it's nice and quiet. Come with me, sugar. We'll spend some time together and then be back for the rehearsal on Friday."

Bella nodded. "When do we leave?"

"The plane leaves at 3. So, we need to shower, pack, and get out of here," Peter replied.

Bella shifted in his arms and stood up, stretching her arms above her head and sighing. Peter felt his cock harden as he watched the lithe muscles of her beautiful body flex and release. She glanced over her shoulder and winked at him.

"Wash my back?" she asked, a sexy smirk on her face as she eyed his obvious erection.

She screeched with laughter as Peter scooped her up and ran her to the bathroom. As he started the water, she wrapped her arms around his neck and whispered in his ear.

"We're going to be okay, right, Peter?"

Peter squeezed her tightly and whispered back, "Yeah, sugar, we're going to be better than okay."


	15. Mountain Getaway Part 1

Bella woke with a start as their plane descended. She looked up from her comfortable position on Peter's shoulder and saw he was still fast asleep. He looked peaceful and she hated to wake him since she knew he hadn't slept the night before. She hoped this time away would help them both to conquer some of the remaining demons they battled. She sat up carefully and re-buckled her seat belt as the captain came over the speaker to announce their arrival.

As the plane touched down, Peter squeezed her hand gently. She looked over to see him watching her with a slight smile and a twinkle in his clear blue eyes. She returned his smile and brushed her thumb along the back of his hand.

They were one of the first couples to disembark and quickly made their way to the rental counter where Bella saw just how organized Peter had been in planning this trip. He flashed his ID and credit card and in mere moments they were tossing their things into the back of a shiny black SUV.

"So, we need to stop at the grocery on the way to the house. Can you think of anything else you might need while we're in town?" Peter asked as he pulled out of the airport and onto a small two-lane road.

Reaching across the console to rest her hand against his knee, Bella shook her head. She didn't need anything but him. Peter smiled, seeing her movement out of the corner of his eye as he drove. He was just as happy to grab food, a few bottles of good wine, and some coffee. He didn't need anything else except uninterrupted time with her.

They drove for awhile, just listening to the radio, singing along to the songs they knew, and finally pulled into a small town and parked in front of an old fashioned general store. Peter stood at the front of the SUV and took her hand as she came up to him, grabbing a basket as they entered the store, Bella's small soft hand clasped in his larger calloused one.

As they entered the store, Bella glanced around wide-eyed. The store was deceptively well stocked with a full complement of groceries, a deli, and bakery. They picked up a few things and then made their way to the rather extensive wine section. Peter grabbed a couple of bottles that he seemed to recognize and Bella grabbed one she'd been meaning to try. They rounded out their trip with a visit to the bakery and a dozen buttery homemade croissants.

Satisfied that they would be well enough stocked for their trip, they loaded their purchases back into the car and continued out of town along a narrow mountain road. Gradually, the area grew more isolated and the sparse town traffic dwindled until they were virtually alone on the road. After a short time, Peter slowed and turned onto a gravel path barely wide enough for them to drive down. Bella sat up and paid more attention as they began the drive down the driveway. Thick forest flanked both sides and the sunlight filtered weakly through the canopy only breaking through as they rounded curves that gave a spectacular view of a small valley to their left.

Cabins and chalets dotted the sides of the mountains that enclosed the valley and Bella quickly grabbed her phone to take a few pictures, surprised and delighted by the quaintness and beauty. They were climbing in altitude as their ears popped to equalize the pressure. Peter fished a pack of gum from his pocket and offered it to Bella with a grin after he noticed her popping her ears for roughly the hundredth time since they turned onto the isolated private drive.

Just when it seemed they could go no further up the mountain, Peter made a turn onto another impossibly narrow path and stopped the SUV.

When Bella looked over at him confused about their halted progress, he just winked and hopped out of the car, fishing a set of keys from his pocket and walking over to a chain gate that stretched the length of the new driveway. Bella watched as he fought with the stubborn padlock and smiled as she heard him cuss when he scraped his knuckles. Finally, he won the battle and slipped the padlock into a link of chain and looped the chain around the gate post, clearing the way for them to continue.

He loped back over to the car with an excited smile at Bella, which she returned. She was intrigued to see the cabin that Peter seemed so eager to arrive at. As Peter climbed into the driver's seat again, he leaned across to press a quick kiss to Bella's cheek.

"Almost there now, baby. I can't wait for you to see it!" he exclaimed, his excitement palpable in the confined space.

They drove onward and continued their ascent up the mountainside. Bella was sure they must be nearing the summit. The vegetation grew denser as they ascended before finally thinning out as they neared what must have been the end of the road. Bella gasped as the cabin came into view. Truly, cabin was much too plain a word for the enormous A-frame chalet that lay in front of them.

"Oh my God! Peter, this is gorgeous!" Bella gasped.

"Do you like it?" Peter asked, a wide smile brightening his features.

Bella nodded enthusiastically, "I love it! It's amazing!"

Peter squeezed her hand, "Wait until we get inside and you see the view from the great room. You can see the entire valley from there."

Peter pulled up under an attached carport and pocketed the car keys. Bella climbed out of the car and looked around in awe, overwhelmed by the natural beauty of the place. When Peter had said he was taking her to his cabin outside Vail, she'd been envisioning something much more modest and she realized that there were many things about Peter that she didn't yet know. She was really looking forward to their quiet time together so they could talk more and really get to know the intimate details of each others' lives.

As Bella had stood gazing around her, Peter had unloaded the car and stood by the front door, a small pile of luggage and grocery bags at his feet while he jiggled the key in the lock. With a small creak the door swung open and, as Bella came up behind him, the scent of cedar planking wafted from the doorway. Bella noticed she was not the only one that inhaled deeply as the odor assaulted them.

She leaned down, gathering the grocery bags, as Peter shouldered their luggage and they stepped inside.

The doorway opened onto an enormous great room with a vaulted ceiling and massive natural stone fireplace. The furniture was overstuffed and rugged and complemented the honeyed tones of the log walls and plank floors perfectly. By far the most striking feature of the room, however, was the wall facing the valley. It was composed entirely of windows and a door opened onto a deck that stretched the expanse of the cabin. The view was breathtaking in the late afternoon sunlight and Bella knew it would be spectacular at Twilight and at night when the lights from the other houses in the valley would twinkle in the darkness.

Bella barely noticed that Peter had taken the grocery bags; she was so enthralled with the vista outside the window and the rustic grace of the great room. As she completed her perusal of the room and turned, she saw Peter leaning against the doorway of the kitchen, watching her. She was taken aback by the intense look in his eyes. She had caught him and his every emotion was visible for her to see; love, compassion, excitement, and hope were reflected there. She quickly crossed over to him and threw her arms around his neck, standing on her tip-toes to press her lips to his.

"Thank you, Peter. This is just amazing! It's so beautiful and just perfect!"

He pulled back slightly so he could look at her, his fingers tenderly tracing her cheek before tucking a stray lock of hair behind her ear.

"I'm glad you like it, Bella. There's no one else I'd rather share it with, " he replied, his voice slightly husky before breaking into an enormous smile, "Come on…I'll give you the grand tour!"

He captured her hand in his again and pointed out the kitchen, a small half-bath, and a screened porch, before leading her down a hallway and pointing out four large bedrooms. She noticed that he had placed their bags in the largest of the four and decided that she couldn't wait to test out the quilt-draped king bed with him later.

They finished their tour just as twilight was beginning to settle over the valley. Bella was not surprised to see she had been right. It was truly beautiful as the reddened fading sunlight flowed over the valley below them.

"It'll be cool up here tonight once the sun finishes setting." Peter commented, crossing over to the large stone fireplace and busying himself with starting a fire.

Bella watched a moment, admiring the strong grace with which he moved; his muscles moving fluidly as he worked. When her stomach rumbled softly, she turned and made her way into the kitchen. She popped the cork on a bottle of wine, letting it breathe a few minutes as she poked in cabinets and made up a plate of cheese, crackers, and crusty chunks of bread, tossing a few handfuls of grapes onto the platter as well. They would need to eat a real meal, too. She set the wine and nibbles on the counter and unearthed two large wine glasses, filling hers and taking a sip, humming in appreciation as the smooth tannins of the merlot coated the inside of her mouth, as she set a pot of water on the stove for pasta and began chopping vegetables for a salad. She was just adding the pasta to the boiling water when Peter wrapped his arms around her waist from behind. She leaned back into his embrace quickly, and sighed softly as he nuzzled against her neck. He smiled against her skin and released her to pour his own glass of wine, popping a grape in his mouth with a grin.

"Smells good, babe. What are you cooking?" Peter asked, grabbing plates, bowls, and silverware and setting the small kitchen table.

"It's fettuccine. I made a quick alfredo sauce, too." Bella replied, "It'll be ready in a few minutes."

Once everything was ready, they served their plates directly from the stove and made their way over to the table. Peter grabbed the open bottle of wine and topped of their glasses. They ate and chatted over the meal and when they'd finished, they washed the dishes and cleaned up the kitchen.

Bella pulled her phone out of her bag and drifted into the great room to call Jasper and Alice and let them know they had arrived safely. She waved the phone at Peter as she left the kitchen and he nodded, popping the cork on another bottle of wine.

Bella dialed quickly and listened as it rang. Just as she was getting ready to hang up, Jasper answered.

"Hello?" he drawled and Bella smiled.

"Hey Jas. Just wanted to call and let you and Ali know we got here okay."

Bella frowned as she was met with silence on the other end of the line. Thinking maybe the cell reception was bad, she tried again.

"Jasper? Can you hear me?"

Jasper cleared his throat.

"Yes, I can hear you. I'll get Alice," he replied, his voice cold and distant.

"Wait…Jasper…" Bella began, but was met with a muted thump as he set the receiver down on the counter.

Tears welled up in Bella's eyes and she sank down onto the couch, her whole body shaking as she fought not to sob. How had she messed things up so badly? Just as she lost the battle against her tears and her first sob fought itself free, Peter walked into the room. Laying the wine and glasses on the coffee table, he immediately gathered her up in his arms, causing her to really break down. Bella sobbed into his shirt, her hands clenching the fabric as if she was afraid he would disappear. The only thing he could make out in her sobbed explanation was Jasper's name and 'mad at me'. The phone lay forgotten on the sofa cushion until Peter heard Alice on the other end, frantically calling Bella's name. He grabbed the phone, his hands shaking as he tried not to lose his temper.

"Alice, what in God's name happened?" he growled.

"Peter? What's wrong with Bella? Jasper just came and told me she was on the phone and stormed out. Is she okay? What's going on??" Alice babbled on the other end.

Peter took a deep breath and tried to remember that Alice didn't have anything to do with Jasper's behavior to Bella. He would be having a serious discussion with his cousin when they got home.

"Alice…Alice! Bella's upset 'cause that little shit of a cousin of mine was nasty to her on the phone. Bella's okay. She was just calling to let y'all know that we got here safe."

"He was nasty to her on the phone??" Alice growled incredulously.

Peter couldn't help but smile. Alice would be much more ferocious, especially with pregnancy hormones, than he could be at the moment.

"Yeah, Ali. Bella's a little hysterical right now, so I don't have the whole story, but he was a shit to her on the phone."

"I'll take care of it," she growled again and Peter shivered a little, "You tell Bella I love her and to just enjoy herself."

They finished the call and Peter fervently thanked whatever being saw fit to put Alice in Jasper's life. He was going to be one miserable son of a bitch when Alice got through with him!

Bella had calmed down while they were talking, and, though her eyes were red and puffy, no more tears were falling. She was sipping at a bottle of water and staring into the crackling flames, her knees drawn up to her chest with her chin propped on top. Peter sank down onto the floor beside her and pulled her between his legs, her back snuggled against his chest. Resting his head on top of hers, he tried to let her feel the comfort he was trying to give her. She sighed and relaxed back against him.

They didn't speak but just held each other in front of the fire. As the night grew later and the fire died down, Bella finally spoke.

"No matter what happens, Peter, I will never hurt you like that again. I promise."

Peter turned her in his arms and kissed her gently.

"I know that, baby. It's going to be okay…everything will work out, I know it will."

Bella nodded and sighed as she leaned against his shoulder, her eyes closed and exhaustion evident. As her breathing evened out, Peter picked her up, cradling her to his chest, and carried her to their room. Tonight they would sleep and things would look better in the morning.

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AN: Thanks everyone who has waited patiently for more of this story. RL has not been conductive to writing and while I will not abandon this story, the updates will be slow, sadly. We're about 4 chapters from the end, so please stick with me loyal readers! I love each and every review even though life will not allow time for replies right now!


	16. Mountain Getaway Part 2

**AN: For all of you that have stuck with me on this story, thank you from the bottom of my heart! This is the final chapter...only an epilogue is left. S.M. still owns all things Twilight. Expect the epilogue in the next few days. **

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Peter lay awake long into the night with Bella in his arms. He was concerned about the anger between Bella and Jasper. It put him in an awkward position. Jasper and Miss Caroline were his only family. As much as he would stand by Bella, he couldn't imagine allowing a rift to form between himself and Jasper. As he mulled over how to deal with the situation, his eyes finally slipped closed and he drifted into an uneasy sleep.

Bella woke with a jolt in the early hours before dawn. She wasn't sure what had woken her at first. She was curled protectively in Peter's arms and she hadn't had a nightmare. Just as she was about to close her eyes again, she heard it again – a subtle crash, the breaking of glass. Her fingers dug into Peter's arm.

"Peter!" she whispered. "Wake up! Peter!"

"Too early, baby…still dark out."

Just as Bella was about to shake him again, the soft crash and tinkle of glass came again. Peter bolted up in the bed, looking around the room. His eyes landed on a fireplace poker in an iron holder. Snatching it up, he hissed at Bella to stay in the room and lock the door behind him. Bella nodded mutely, thin cotton sheet clutched to her breast. She watched fearfully as Peter stepped out into the pitch black hallway and bolted the door behind him.

Peter crept down the hallway, stopping still when a board creaked under his foot. He waited, listening for the telltale sound of footsteps over hardwoods, but heard nothing. He carefully entered the living room and saw a large limb had crashed through the front windows. The thunderstorm that had blown through must have weakened it. He sighed in relief and set the poker aside. Looking over his shoulder toward the bedroom, he called to Bella.

"Bella, it's okay. It was a tree limb. Come on out, baby."

He turned back around as he heard her relieved laughter and strode over to the light switch, flicking it on to better survey the damage.

Just as the light came on, he heard the telltale click of a pistol being cocked to fire and a moment later his shoulder exploded in pain. He fell back against the wall as Bella rounded the corner at a run. She rushed over to him, sobbing as she pressed her hands over the ragged wound.

"Oh, don't worry, _baby_." The man sneered from the shadows. "You're both heading the same place tonight."

Peter struggled to get up. He wanted himself between Bella and this cold calculating lunatic.

"Show yourself, asshole. Who the fuck are you?" Peter growled, managing to angle Bella slightly behind him.

It was Bella's tremulous voice that answered him however.

"Sam? Sam Uley?" She question, her tone belying her confusion. "I don't understand. What's going on? Why are you here, Sam?"

The tall dark-skinned man growled at her question.

"Did you really think you could just have them lock my brother away forever? That I wouldn't make you pay for all you cost him? I've been biding my time for years, Bella. When I saw you take up with _him_," Sam jerked his head toward Peter, "I knew I had to act. You were living like you hadn't ruined his life! He's rotting in that godforsaken prison because of you!"

Peter began to put the pieces together as he saw the set of Bella's shoulders subtly change. She was angry, scared, but also angry. He was proud of her.

"Look, Sam, or whatever the hell your name is, I don't know what cock and bull story your piece of shit brother, _James_, fed you, but I had very little to do with his incarceration. Killing two police officers and doing his damndest to kill me sealed his fate."

Peter laid a restraining hand on her arm when Sam began to turn an alarming shade of purple and literally shook with anger, cocking the gun again.

"Baby, shhh…let's not push him too far." He whispered.

Sam took a menacing step toward them and Peter tried to edge toward the fireplace poker that lay against the wall. Sam fired again, and Peter grunted, stumbling to the floor as the round grazed his thigh.

"Move again and next time I won't miss." Sam growled, waving the gun toward the floor in front of the fireplace. "Get on your knees, both of you."

Bella was sobbing quietly as they moved toward the spot Sam indicated, sinking down to their knees.

"I love you…I'm so sorry, Peter." Bella whimpered.

Peter took her hand in his, squeezing lightly. "Baby, we aren't dead yet."

Sam laughed behind them. "Oh, that's touching. Don't worry, it'll be over soon."

Bella and Peter turned to look at each other; Peter's skin was growing cool and pale from blood loss. Silently they both closed their eyes, waiting for the sound of the gun firing.

They didn't have to wait long. They jerked and threw themselves to the floor when gunfire erupted around them. Someone yelled in pain and fell to the ground in front of them. Bella opened her eyes and was met with the lifeless stare of Detective Felix Cologero. She bit her lip as a tear slipped over her cheek. As the chaos continued around her, she turned to look for Peter. He had leapt up when Felix had been shot, making a run toward Sam, who had managed to get a shot off at Detective Black as well. Jake was slumped against the wall, but Bella could see he was still breathing.

Her eyes traveled around the room and she had just enough time to see Sam bolt out of the bashed in kitchen door before Peter disappeared right behind him. She didn't think, just grabbed the iron poker and raced out behind them.

She could hear them running through the woods a little way in front of her. Sam was running through the woods like he was born in them and Peter was right on his tail. Abruptly the woods gave way to a small clearing. A battered black pick-up truck sat to the side and Bella realized if they didn't stop Sam now, he would disappear; they would never find him and would spend the rest of their lives looking over their shoulders. With a determined scowl, she pushed herself forward more.

The sun was beginning to lighten the sky as dawn began to break. Bella could see Sam and Peter on the far side of the clearing. Peter was limping badly and looked like he might fall over at any moment. Bella watched in horror as Sam fired the gun at point blank range and Peter crumpled to the forest floor.

Bella screamed, momentarily diverting Sam's attention as he stood over Peter, ready to finish him off. It gave Bella just enough time to fling the fire iron at Sam, miraculously managing to smack Sam right between the eyes. Sam fell back against the side of the old truck, stunned. The gun dropped from his grip. Bella reached down and picked it up, checking that the round was ready and pointed it with shaking hands at Sam.

Just as she was about to squeeze off the round that would end Sam's life, Jake Black crashed through the trees at her right.

"Bella…Bella, put the gun down, sweetheart. We'll make sure he pays for what he's done. Come on…let me have the gun, sweetheart."

Bella tightened her grip on the revolver.

"Detective Black…I…can't. He…Peter and Felix…I can't live looking over my shoulder."

Jake cautiously took a step toward her and then another when she didn't protest.

"If you do this, Bella, he wins. You'll spend the rest of your life in prison. That's not what any of us want for you, sweetheart. Let me take him in; let me put him away for what he's done."

Throughout this little speech, Sam sat smirking at Bella.

"Oh just fucking shoot me already, Princess. What are you waiting for? I just killed that stupid fuck you've been sleeping with! Come on! Pull the goddamned trigger!"

Bella screamed and emptied the remaining rounds from the revolver before letting it drop from her fingers and slipping to her knees in the dirt. Jake ran over and kicked the pistol away before running to the truck and handcuffing a shaking Sam Uley.

"You lucky son-of-a-bitch, Bella Cullen was trained to shoot by one of the best marksmen Forks PD ever knew. She emptied that magazine into the side of your truck because she decided your miserable ass wasn't worth the trouble." Jake finished speaking with a sharp jab of his elbow to Sam's head, wincing as it stretched his tender ribs and turned to look over at Bella who was cradling Peter's seemingly lifeless body in her lap.

He made his way slowly over toward them, approaching as one would a wounded animal. Bella was sobbing and stroking her fingers through Peter's matted blond hair, his blood quickly seeping through their clothes.

"Bella, honey…I'm so sorry."


	17. Epilogue

**AN: I'd like to thank everyone for sticking with this story, especially Valkerie1, TillyWhitlock, and LadyMiaF. This is it folks...the epilogue. Enjoy! (S.M. owns all things Twilight...yadda yadda yadda)**

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Two weeks later_

Bella pulled the brush through her hair, her skin even paler than normal in the subdued black dress she wore. Her eyes were red-rimmed and vacant as she wound her hair into a messy knot and secured it with a handful of bobby pins. The last two weeks had been a blur of statements, hospitals, and tears.

She looked over dully as a light knock sounded at the bathroom door. Jasper stood there looking every bit as haggard and careworn as Bella. He'd lost weight from his already trim form and dark circles were etched under his eyes like bruises.

"Are you almost ready, Darlin'? If we don't leave soon we'll be late to the service. Jake called a minute ago; he's going to meet us there."

She nodded in response, taking his outstretched hand. Jasper frowned slightly. She hadn't spoken since she'd come home that first night. As soon as her statements were given to the police and hospital, she'd withdrawn into herself. Jasper wasn't sure how to reach her and Alice was so emotional given the pregnancy and the circumstances that he felt stretched too thin to be of any real help.

Emmett and Rosalie had temporarily moved into Peter's room in the basement. Jasper frowned as he remembered the hissy fit Bella had thrown over that move. She had railed at them for hours over disturbing Peter's room until she'd finally broken down into hysterical sobs. Edward had finally sedated her and Heidi had handed the baby off to him and lay in the bed with Bella, stroking her hair all night as she alternately slept and sobbed.

The next day, Bella had risen from the bed like a zombie and hadn't had an ounce of reaction to anything since then. Jasper's mother had arrived the next day, already a wreck herself, and, true to her Southern ranching roots, had steeled her spine and began making the arrangements that the rest of them couldn't bear to face.

Jasper snapped out of his reverie when they entered the family room and Bella was whisked into Miss Caroline Whitlock's strong comforting arms; Bella stood stiffly in the embrace, unwilling or unable to reciprocate and when Miss Caroline pulled back, tears shone in her green eyes. Edward moved forward and kissed Bella's forehead before returning to Heidi's side.

Heidi and Rosalie were beside themselves over Bella's near catatonic state, but Alice, Jasper, Edward, and Emmett had seen her like this before. This was how Bella had coped the last time she'd been faced with tragedy. They were all afraid she wouldn't bounce back this time.

Alice watched from her perch on the sofa, fiddling with the delicate platinum and diamond band on her ring finger. They had canceled their large wedding and been married by a justice of the peace instead. It just didn't seem right to be having a celebration in the face of so much sorrow, but it didn't feel right not to marry either. They both desperately needed to make the most of their time together.

Silently, the group of friends and family trooped outside and climbed into their vehicles, Bella tucked between the baby seat and Heidi in Edward's Volvo. The drive to the church was short and the parking lot was crowded. They filed into the church quietly, carefully keeping Bella away from any contact. The slightest misstep could cause her to dissolve into hysterics again.

She turned her head into Emmett's massive chest as the priest began the Requiem Mass. None of them were able to pay very much attention, their nerves were too raw, but the music and eulogies were heartfelt and moving. Sooner than they expected, the service ended and they trooped back to the cars and joined the line of mourners for the journey to the small cemetery. Detective Black was waiting at the graveside when they arrived.

He nodded at Jasper and motioned him aside. They had a whispered conversation regarding a competency hearing for Sam. It seemed his lawyer was going to attempt to plead insanity. Jasper snorted. There was nothing insane about that son of a bitch. He was a cold-blooded killer. Emmett came over then and agreed to also come to the hearing. They would be called as witnesses regarding the incidents leading up to the fatal night. The three men shook hands and Jasper clapped Jacob on the back as he made his way over to another group of mourners that included Detective Cologero's widow, Renata.

The group made their way home. Once there they changed into more comfortable clothing and, after Alice, Heidi, and Rosalie got Bella fed and to bed for a nap, they all met in the kitchen for Miss Caroline's pot roast, gravy, mashed potatoes and biscuits. Despite the excellent meal, they ate sparingly; they were all subdued after the morning's events.

_3 months later_

Bella sat beside the hospital bed, the soft beeping of the heart monitor the only sound in the room except for the _click click click_ of her knitting needles. She didn't see the pitying looks of the nurses as they bustled back and forth in the hallway. She finished the small pink bootie she was working on and tied off the yarn, setting it on the edge of the bed with its mate. Alice was due any day now and winter was on its way to Denver. She and Jasper were expecting twins, a boy and a girl. She leaned over to rummage through her yarn bag, withdrawing a soft ball of baby blue yarn and set about making a small beanie.

A few moments later, she set aside her work and rose stiffly from her chair, her hand caressing her lower back a little as she stood and moved closer to the bedside. She leant down and brushed her lips across Peter's forehead and whispered softly.

"Hey baby, I'm going to go to the bathroom and get a cup of tea from the vending machine. I'll be back soon."

As she always did, she took his hand and laid it gently on the soft swell of her lower stomach, as she had every day since learning she was expecting his child.

"Wake up, Peter. I love you and I miss you. You need to wake up and help me raise our child."

She kissed his knuckles softly and made her way out of the room and down to the restrooms and vending machines.

_Peter was as comfortable as he could ever remember being. He was with Charlotte and she was running her fingers through his hair lightly. Time had ceased to have any meaning. He could have been there for moments or years. _

_His eyes were closed, but he felt no need to open them. He knew who was taking care of him. Charlotte smelled just as he remembered her, like sunshine and dryer sheets. Every once in a while, he would hear a soft beeping noise. He didn't like that; it made him feel like there was somewhere else he should be. That didn't make any sense though. Why would he need to be anywhere else when Charlotte was here with him?_

Bella slowly made her way back to Peter's room and plucked a couple dead flowers from the arrangement on the table by the door. She stopped by the bed again and brushed Peter's unruly hair back from his forehead. This time, she left the knitting aside and instead pulled her chair up close beside his bed, taking his hand between hers and laying her head next to his on the pillow. She never cried anymore, but today she just wasn't feeling well. Morning sickness had finally begun and with the stress her body was already under, she felt severely ill most of the day. The tears welled up in her eyes as she breathed in Peter's scent. It was almost covered by the medicinal hospital odors, but Bella could still just barely make it out. Finally with a quiet shuddering sob, the tears began to fall, wetting the cotton pillowcase beneath their cheeks.

"_Peter?" Charlotte spoke quietly, a note of urgency in her mellow honeyed voice. "Sugar, I have missed you so much, but I'm being selfish by keeping you here. Your Bella is waiting for you…and your little one. You've got to go back for them, my love. Someday we'll see each other again, but it's not time yet."_

_Peter clung to her, anguished. "No, darlin'. I don't want to leave you! I've missed you so much, Char. I didn't think I would survive when you died. Please, let me stay."_

_Tears began to stream down his face as he was flooded with conflicting emotions. He loved Charlotte and he was happy here with her, but he remembered how Bella's love had healed him. He needed her like he needed air to breathe. If what Charlotte said was true, then a miracle had truly taken place. Bella was pregnant with his baby._

_The promise of a life with the woman he now loved and a child on the way was too much for him and he sobbed brokenly as Charlotte's soft hands caressed his face. He wasn't sure how to get back. It was so easy to be here and there was pain there; he remembered pain._

Bella raised her head up, her eyes dull and red. She thought she'd felt something. Looking over at Peter's face, she reached for the call button and called the nurse. Peter's shoulders shook as tears poured from beneath his tightly closed eyes. Bella couldn't help but reach out and brush them away, terrified that he was in pain.

The nurse came running into the room and checked his vital signs before hurriedly racing to the doorway and calling for the doctor. She returned and ushered Bella from the room, practically shoving her out the door as the young resident bustled in, barking orders at the nurse.

Bella sank into a chair in the waiting room and paged Edward and Emmett. She wasn't sure what else to do. She lay back in the hard plastic chair and wondered if the wait had finally come to an end. She tried to make peace with the fact that it might be Peter's time to go. She had to let him go; she didn't want him to linger in pain. It would be hard to go on without him and harder still to raise their child without him, but she couldn't keep him here selfishly. She drifted into an exhausted sleep.

She startled awake a few moments later when Emmett's familiar warm hand stroked back her hair. She blinked a few times and finally focused on his concerned face.

"Bella, sweetheart, when was the last time you ate?" A shadow of his normal teasing grin slid over his face. "You need to eat so that little nephew of mine can grow big and strong. I have football plans for that kid, you know? Why don't you come with me to the cafeteria and let's get something to eat. Edward's with Peter and the doctors now; he'll know something when we get back."

Bella let Emmett haul her up out of the chair and tuck her under his protective arm. They were quiet on the walk down to the cafeteria. Emmett loaded up his tray with enough food for both of them, putting the charge on his account, and led her over to a table. Bella dug into her potato soup without much enthusiasm but soon found herself eating quickly as her almost starved stomach registered the food. Emmett gave her an "I told you so" smile and dug into his fajitas.

Bella cleared her throat. "Emmett, do you think I'm keeping him here selfishly? Do I need to let him go?" Her breath caught in her chest a little as she remembered his tears. "He was crying, Emmett. What if he's in pain?"

Emmett pushed aside the empty containers and took Bella's hands in between his. "Sweetheart, we'd know if he was hurting. His blood pressure and heart rate would show that. I don't think you've done anything wrong. Peter's here because it's not his time yet. Just hang in there a little longer. I just know he's going to wake up, Bella. He loves you."

Bella nodded, not trusting herself to speak around the lump in her throat. She asked Emmett to go on back to Peter's room without her; she wanted to stop by the chapel on her way back up. Bella hadn't been raised with religion. Renee was too flighty to stick with anything too long and Charlie…well, if he couldn't touch it, it didn't exist for him. Lately, though, Bella had been finding great comfort in visiting the chapel near the cafeteria. The hospital chaplain was kind; he never pressured her. Father Riley had been a priest for only a short time, but Bella could tell it was a strong calling for him.

The chapel was empty today when she went in. Father Riley must have been visiting patients. That was fine with Bella. She wanted solitude, time to make peace with losing Peter. She was so weary and the last thing she wanted to do was to keep him here and in pain. She slowly lowered herself into an empty pew and bowed her head, silently praying that if it was Peter's time to go that he would, but also hoping beyond reason that Peter would wake up.

She was pulled from her meditations when her cell phone began to vibrate in her pocket. Looking at it, she jumped out of the pew and jogged from the chapel to the elevators, cursing how slow they moved to Peter's floor. She raced down the hallway and burst into the room, skidding to a halt as she looked around the room.

"Hey, baby. Come here and sit down before you fall down." Peter's voice was a hoarse whisper from the months of disuse, but he was smiling softly as Emmett carefully led her to Peter's bedside and set her in the chair before he and Edward slipped out to call everyone else with the news.

The moment they stepped out Bella dissolved into sobs, burying her face in Peter's chest. He stroked her hair lightly, whispering how much he'd missed her.

_6 months later_

Bella rubbed her stomach wincing slightly. The contractions were getting closer together and it was time to wake Peter up. She called his name softly, grunting as another contraction hit.

"Peter? Wake up, baby. It's time…the baby's coming."

Peter mumbled in his sleep and curled a little more into her side. Her little whimper of pain as the next contraction hit woke him fully and he sat up with a start.

"It's time? Now? Okay…okay. I'm up!"

Peter climbed out of bed, grabbing his cane from the wall next to the bed. He had made great strides in his therapy after the coma, but there was some permanent nerve damage in his left leg. He would always have a limp and would need the cane indefinitely. He quickly gathered their things and packed them in the car before returning for Bella. Another contraction hit as Bella stood up; Peter cradled her to his chest and pressed against her back until it eased, coaching her through the pain.

Eventually, they arrived at the hospital and were ushered into their room. Peter was attentive to Bella's every need as she labored, progressing quickly until, after several hours, it was time to push their baby into the world. They had declined to know the sex of their baby, preferring to be surprised after the final push.

With a final groan, Bella pushed their child into the world and the doctor announced it to be a girl. Kimberly Charlotte Whitlock came into the world eight months and three weeks after the worst night of her parents' lives. Jasper and Alice stood in the doorway, watching the new family with Edward, Heidi, Emmett, and a very pregnant Rosalie behind them. A nurse snapped a picture and Emmett passed around pink bubblegum cigars to anyone and everyone.

The End


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